Disability Equality Awareness Training
One in seven of the population are disabled. That accounts
for approximately 10 million people.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled
person as ‘someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a
substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out
normal day-to-day activities’.
Public Bodies
Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), legal rights for
disabled people are now in force.
45,000 public bodies
across Great Britain are covered by the Disability Equality Duty (DED).
Many of which, under the specific duties, should have
produced and published a Disability Equality Scheme by 4th December 2006.
The DED is meant to ensure that all public bodies - such as central or local government, schools, health trusts or emergency services - pay 'due regard' to the promotion of equality for disabled people in every area of their work.
Private Companies
There are sound business reasons for employing disabled people. You can:
Widen your pool of candidates from which to recruit staff. Gain a competitive advantage by having a diverse workforce which can attract a diverse range of customers - there are over ten million disabled people in the UK, most of whom are potential customers and/or employees.
Make your business more representative of the community and foster a better public image as a fair and inclusive business.
Improve staff morale and loyalty to a business considered inclusive and representative.
Avoid claims of unlawful disability discrimination.
BUT
None of this matters if we do not change the attitude of the workforce as a
whole. Many people have
an emotional response to
disability, based on fear or pity. They may have entrenched attitudes based
on prejudice or previous negative (or positive) experiences. For this
reason, it may be harder to change attitudes and behaviours relating to
disability than on other issues.
Training staff in disability issues is a valuable tool for positive change. It plays a vital role in the development of equal access for disabled people to services, offices, buildings and employment. Disability training has been referred to as “perhaps the most effective action any service provider can take” towards improving provision for disabled people.
Our training ProgramCourse content
-
·
·
·
· Focus on our ideals that may not be reality
·
·
·
·
·
· Action plan on how we can engage with disability equality.
The phrase physical or mental impairment means--
(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: Neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine;
(ii) Any mental or psychological disorder such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
(iii) The phrase physical or mental impairment includes, but is not limited to, such contagious and non-contagious diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, specific learning disabilities, HIV disease (whether symptomatic or asymptomatic), tuberculosis, drug addiction, and alcoholism.
(iv) The phrase physical or mental impairment does not include homosexuality or bisexuality.
To avoid discrimination in the workplace, the Department for Work and Pensions (www.dwp.gov.uk) recommends that all employers take the following measures:
- set an action plan, embracing recruitment, promotion and training
- provide equal opportunities training for all staff to help people, including management, throughout your organisation to understand the importance of equal opportunities, and provide additional training to staff who recruit, select and train your employees
- monitor the present position and progress in achieving equal opportunities objectives to identify success and shortfalls
- review recruitment, selection, promotion and training procedures regularly to ensure that good intentions are being put into practice
- draw up objective and job-related criteria in job descriptions
- offer pre-employment training, where appropriate, to prepare potential job applicants for selection tests and interviews and specific training to help under-represented groups such as people with a disability
- encourage applications from under-represented groups (women, ethnic minorities and people with a disability)
- consider flexible working, career breaks, provision of home-working facilities, practical help and advice for people with disabilities
- develop links with local community groups, organisations and schools to reach out to a wider poll of potential recruits.
For more info
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001068
