Disability Awareness Training

The purpose of Disability Awareness Training is to educate participants around core aspects of disability and disability related issues, thus giving participants greater confidence when engaging work colleagues and service users with disabilities.

Presented by Stephen Kelly, Managing Director of Ability Focus (and former recruiter), this course aims to address myths and misconceptions that people may have around disability. Training will also give a solid foundation in areas such as communication, appropriate language, types of disabilities, legislation, disability etiquette, barriers for people with disabilities, accessibility, discrimination and creating an inclusive society.

Participants will learn about the topic of Reasonable Accommodation and its increasing importance in Irish workplaces. On completion of this programme participants will have a greater understanding of Disability Awareness as an important economic, legal and social subject.

The course will be run over 4 live 1 hour sessions and will follow the schedule below:

TUESDAY 30^TH MARCH

SESSION 1       10am -11am    

Definitions of disability:

• – Statistics
• – Definition of disability
• – Disabled person or person with a disability?
• – Medical & Social model of disability

The seven categories of disability PART 1:

• – Types of disability
• – Intellectual disability & developmental disorders
• – Conditions that limit basic physical activities
• – Blindness and serious visual impairment

SESSION 2       11.30am-12.30pm      

The seven categories of disability PART 2:

• – Recap of Session 1
• – Mental health and emotional conditions
• – Deafness and hard of hearing
• – Difficulty in learning, remembering or concentrating
• – Other disabilities, including chronic illness 

Disability & Society:

• – How Irish society views disability
• – Myths and assumptions around disabilities
• – Barriers to inclusion for people with disabilities
• – Diversity, inclusivity and disability

WEDNESDAY 31^ST MARCH

SESSION 3       10am-11am    

Legislation & Reasonable Accommodation:

• – The Disability Act 2005
• – The Equal Status Act 2000 – 2015
• – The Employment Equality Act 1998 – 2015
• – The Health Safety & Welfare at Work Act
• – UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities 
• – The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC)
• – Reasonable Accommodation in Irish law

SESSION 4       11.30am-12.30pm      

Communication:

• – Discrimination towards people with disabilities
• – Disability etiquette
• – Conscious & unconscious bias
• – The do’s and don’ts of disability communication  
• – Language and appropriate use

Creating an inclusive society:

• – How do we create a more inclusive society?
• – Barriers to employment for people with disabilities
• – Equality and equity 
• – Accessibility & Universal Design
• – Changing our perceptions and being proactive
• – What have you taken from this training programme?

COST:                €50 per person and covers both days / all sessions

Places strictly limited so early booking is recommended.

**This course is subsidized by ERF Skillnet.