Events

• Regional Networks
• Seminars

Regional Networks

These meetings aim to bring local employers together with local service providers (in particular, the Training and Employment Agency) in order to consider ways of providing training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Three were held, and both had a great response from employers—Details as follows:

Newry/Banbridge—March 2000 Speakers:

• Hilary McGrath (Customer Services Director of SCA Packaging Ireland and Board Member of Forum)
• Ann Smith (Disability Employment Advisor of the Training and Employment Agency)
• Johnny Nolan (Special Needs Careers Officer of the Training and Employment Agency)

Belfast/Lisburn—April 2000 Speakers:

• Pat Willis (Equal Opportunities Manager for BT Northern Ireland and Board Member of the Forum)
• Aiden Bennett (Disablement Employment Advisor of the Training and Employment Agency)
• Gabrielle Kelly (Careers Advisor of the Training and Employment Agency)
• Julie McClean (Management Consultant of PricewaterhouseCoopers)

Newtownards/Bangor Speakers:

• Anne Dougan (Personnel Manager of United Dairy Farmers and Board Member)
• Elizabeth Napier (Disablement Employment Advisor of the Newtownards Job Centre)
• Barry Davison (Disablement Employment Advisor of the Bangor Job Centre)

Our thanks go to Newtownards Borough Council for kindly hosting this event.

Seminars: Deaf Awareness

The Forum organized a Deaf Awareness Seminar for employers. The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) was enlisted to deliver the training. The Seminar was very informative and entertaining and was received very well by the delegates.

Speakers and Trainers:

• Joan Harrison (Chair of the Equality Commission)
• John Carberry (Training Officer of the RNID)
• Brian Symington (Chair of the RNID)
• Alan McClure (Employment Coordinator of the RNID)
• Michael McCullough (Disablement Employment Advisor of the Training and Employment Agency)
• Ann Valentine (Disablement Employment Advisor of the Training and Employment Agency)

Visual Awareness

In conjunction with the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the Forum ran two seminars aimed at improving visual awareness among employers.

Seminar 1

The Seminar covered many areas, including . . .

• Guiding participants through understanding and coping with vision loss
• Looking at communication and aids to communication
• Issues regarding mobility and access considerations

Seminar 2

Covered awareness of sight-loss in the workplace and identified ways of overcoming workplace barriers for people with a visual impairment.

Trainers:

• Margaret Al-Saigh (Employment Consultant)
• Robin Spinks (Employment Consultant to RNIB Scotland)
• Martin Muldoon (Development Officer)