Article from UWANews April 2008 (Vol. 27, No. 4), by Lindy Brophy

The phrase the blind leading the blind leaps to mind.

But this time, it doesn’t have the negative connotations it usually does. 

Greg Madson, a receptionist and administrative officer in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, lost his sight as a young man.   After battling his way through an information technology course at TAFE that had no resources for him, Greg began working for what is now the Future Farm Industries CRC and the Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture.

That was seven years ago and it was his first job since losing his sight.  He quickly became an asset to the office, with his quick mind and his exceptional computer skills.

Over the past summer, Greg has been passing on those skills to Suzi Westwood, a high school student who has been legally blind all of her life. Through a State Government program, Structured Workplace Employment and Training, Suzi spent one day a week for 15 weeks with Greg, and his guide dog Pollock, learning how to scan mail and other documents using talking software, and how to use screen-reading software to do the myriad talks required of an office administrator.

“The skill is not so much in learning how to use the software but in learning what to listen to, so you can quickly pick up the information you want, rather like a sighted person briefly scanning something and being able to identify the key points,” said Greg.

While passing on his experience to the 17-year-old Leeming Senior High School student,  Greg wondered about the possibility of further work for Suzi at UWA and contacted Equity and Diversity manager Beverley Hill about the possibility of a traineeship.

At the same time, David Faithfull, operations manager for the School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, was thinking about traineeships.

“We’re very keen to secure traineeships in our workshops for Indigenous people,” David said.  “But all of a sudden recently, we’ve had big staff turnovers in our administrative area, so when I heard that Suzi was ready for a traineeship, it seemed like a perfect solution for everybody.”

David said he went to see Greg Madsen and was very impressed with what he has done in his position.

Suzi began her traineeship in the Molecular and Chemical Sciences building in the first week of April.  She is currently playing golf in Japan, but will return to eight hours a week learning reception and administrative work for 12 weeks.

“After that, she will do a TAFE course and her hours with us will increase,” David said.  “We hope Suzi will be the success that Greg has been for Natural and Agricultural Sciences.”