8 Responses

1. Differently abled
   We deliver legal training on this area both to business and the legal profession and find that although you can teach the law there are much wider issues to consider.

   We employ several disabled tutors, one with a physical disability another with a long term illness that has no visible signs. The treatment and assumptions they encounter are fed back into our training to raise awareness of what people feel when certain assumptions are made.

   We control the environment to suit our tutors needs so ground floor entry and facilities are checked in advance. Problems can often occur when delivering in- house but we find a willingness to deal with that if there is enough time in advance of the course. If there is not a wilingness then we do not train!

   Our experience in this area is some employers prefer to forget about the duties of diversity/disability in the workplace as it takes effort. A lot more are being persuaded by the changes in law both already here and the second part due by 2004.

   Awareness raising is a growth area and diversity training including disablement is popular with councils and other public bodies who encounter diversity in their client groups.

   I hope this helps.

   Training By Design Global Ltd

2. Information on disability equality training
   There is a Glasgow-based group called SEATID who offer this type of training. Training is delivered by trainers who have disabilities. Don’t have their address or telephone number any more. Trainers were very good. Certainly increased my awareness at a time when I had just started working in the area of disability.

   Jean Byrne

3. disability equality training
   I write courses on disability equality training and deliver them myself and through deaf and visually impaired colleagues. We are currently working with a number of local authorities. We have also developed a computer programme for Diversity and disability awareness training.
   Ken Whittingham
   Softskills Development Training Ltd

4. This is one of our specialities
   I work with a number of people who specialise in providing training around advocacy, disability issues, diversity, equal opportunities, work life balance etc. there are lots of opportunities for you to get on these types of training courses or undertaken the training to become a trainer yourself. If you let me know where abouts in the country you are based and what your particular interest is, I can put you in touch with other people and groups.

5. DET
   I have worked in the field of disablity equality training for the last five years. I have found that with the lead up to 2004 bigger organisations and councils have commissioned training well in advance to comply with the law. Since the DDA Part 4 – post 16 Education and related services was introduced there has been an upturn in enquiries from education providers-colleges, universities. Until recently I worked with an Edinburgh based,disability led organisation. Lack of core funding forced us to shut shop but we as trainers are continuing to work independently. If there are any other DET trainers out there who would like to network, swap material etc please email me! I also deliver generic equality training – a good starting point for any equality and diversity training but it should never replace specific training in specific fields of discrimination.

6. training providers
   You could try phoning Progress on 0117 9897711 . They are a voluntary sector training provider and have several trainers who work in this area

   Vicky Harrison

7. Will the availability of Braile Game Cards help with training.
   Jonathan Norman (Publisher – Gower) was approached by a customer asking about a braille version of the Feedback Game. He talked to the RNIB who were extremely helpful and are producing see-through, self-adhesive braille labels so the game can be used by both the sighted and the visually impaired at the same time.

8. Have you approached any of the charities?
   Isolbel

   There are a lot of organisations involved in delivering “Disability Awareness” training – some ‘for profit’, and some ‘not for profit’ (such as the various charities etc).

   I’m sure you’ll appreciate that it’s virtually impossible to deliver (valuable) awareness/equality training on disability as a whole because of the number of disabilities there actually are, and therefore it might be worthwhile looking into a ‘generic’ disability awareness course followed by specific courses dealing with specific disabilities etc.

   There are also two different viewpoints to look at the training from, one from a “customer facing” (ie awareness training for people who come into contact with disabled people in order to provide a service etc), and “internal” (ie disability awareness training from an employers / legal aspect).

   I’m sure that you’ll find that most of the nationally recognised charities deliver awareness training within their specific field (I recently started working for the RNID within their Training Services department and this is exactly what we do!).

   Anyway – hope this helps!

   Martin