Events

Summary of Main Events 2001

Accessibility Training

The Employers' Forum on Disability has devised a program of events addressing the 2004 Access Provisions. This is aimed at helping employers to develop action plans over the three-year lead-in period in preparation for meeting the additional requirements under the DDA. Some events have already taken place and are highlighted below.

Access Conference

The Employers Forum on Disability, in partnership with the Equality Commission, organized a half-day conference that pooled the knowledge and experience of a range of organizations and focused on the 2004 Access Provisions.

Ninety delegates from a wide range of organizations attended.

Speakers:

• Trevor Greene (Chair, EFD)
• Orla McCann (Access Manager of Disability Action)
• Harry McConnell (Commissioner of the Equality Commission)
• Patrice Hardy (Deputy Director of the Device Disability Unit, Equality Commission)
• Gabrielle Fitzpatrick-McCrickard (Development Officer, EFD)
• Denise License (Managing Director, First Trust Bank; President of EFD)

Access Seminars

Two Access Awareness seminars, using the expertise of Disability Action, were organized for employers following the Access Conference. The seminars covered information on the Legislative Content, Barriers to Accessibility (and possible solutions), customer-care issues in relation to customers with disabilities, and practical solutions to improve access for people with disabilities.

Trainers:

• Paula McCann (Access Manager, Disability Action)
• Paula O'Kane (Training Officer, Disability Action)
• Wray Norton (Training Officer, Disability Action)

European Union of Supported Employment Conference

The Forum presented a workshop at the fifth European Union of the Supported Employment Conference in Edinburgh.

The Workshop, entitled 'Working in Partnership with Employers' was delivered by Gabrielle Fitzpatrick-McCrickard (Development Officer, EFD), Martin Howell (Community Relations Manager of NIE and EFD Board Member), and Lydia Lynas (Employment Services Manager, The Orchardville Society, a Member of the EFD). The workshop outlined the role of the EFD, highlighted the cooperation between the EFD and Orchardville Society, and also gave participants the opportunity to hear an employer's perspective and experiences.

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.

North-West Speakers

• Eamon O'Kane (Derry Healthy Cities Project)
• Artie Beales (Disablement Employment Advisor)
• Bernie Mullan (Special Needs Careers Officer)*
• Edith Dunlop (Development Officer, NIUSE)
• Tony O'Reilly (North West Forum for People with Disabilities)
• Liam Canning (NIUSE)

Enniskillen Speakers:

• Margaret Harkin (Assistant Development Officer, EFD)
• Pat Mullan (Disablement Employment Advisor for the T&EA)
• Edith Dunlop (Development Officer, NIUSE)
• Tony O'Reilly (North West Forum for People with Disabilities)
• Gerry Maguire (Fermanagh Access and Mobility Group)

Employers’ Awareness Event

This event made employers aware of the key issues and concerns for people with disabilities who are in training and who will be seeking employment in the future. Each employer visited one of five disability organizations in Belfast, where they had the opportunity to meet with trainees. Following this, participants gathered to hear presentations from the Training & Employment Agency and the Equality Commission; the Belfast HSS Trust also gave an employer’s perspective.

Sports Ability Games Festival

The Forum-sponsored Sports ability Games Festival got underway in October and was a great success.

This unique event was the first adapted games festival in NI. Specialist sports equipment, featuring six games that are variations of mainstream games and activities that any person with a disability can play while being at no disadvantage when playing with a person without a disability, was supplied to the clubs involved.

The six teams were made up of both disabled and non-disabled children of various ages. Competition was fierce and in the end Brook Children Together from Lisburn edged ahead to claim first prize.

Forum members sponsored the special sports kits that now belong to the clubs so that many more children can benefit from them in future years. The members were :-

Bombardier Aerospace Shorts Brothers, Bass Ireland, Ulster Television plc, Queen’s University Sports & Recreation Services, Down Lisburn Trust, Royal Sun Alliance, Marks & Spencer (Newry) and Linkworks (Newry). Another member of the Forum who wishes to remain anonymous also provided sponsorship.