Disability Awareness Training
Rationale
WheelWorks has completed a number of arts projects with people with disabilities, for example photography for young people with hearing impairments and music programmes for people with learning and physical disabilities. Young people with disabilities often have difficulty integrating into society due to factors such as attitude where the disability is seen before the person. The language and terminology used to describe people with disabilities often have negative connotations and it is important that positive messages are communicated in order to promote inclusion and adhere to the current legislation.
Northern Ireland has a high number of people with disabilities with approximately 154,800 disabled people of working age in Northern Ireland; this represents 17.4% of the population in NI as compared to 13.7% in Britain. People with a disability often face problems of social exclusion, lower income levels and difficulties with access to services and transport. The number of children (under 16years) with a disability is 14,600 (Cedar Foundation) The Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 strengthens and extends the coverage of the DDA Act 1995. The Order extends legislation to bring the functions of public authorities within the scope of disability legislation and imposes a duty on them to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage their participation in public life (www.ofmdfm.gov.uk).
Participants
The training offers Youth Workers and Arts Facilitators an opportunity to explore the area of difference in relation to disability. These workshops are particularly useful for youth workers given the YCNI Core Values of Equity, Diversity and Interdependence.
Length of Workshop
This is a one day workshop of approximately 6 hours (including lunch and evaluation) for 5-20 participants, including both arts and youth workers who work with young people.
Aims
This workshop will equip people with the knowledge and practical experience to interact more confidently with people with a range of disabilities. It will look at some of the issues and challenges arising out of working in an artistic and creative environment with people with disabilities.
Approach
The disability awareness training incorporates a mix of facilitator input, practical exercises and group discussion. It will look at some of the issues and challenges arising out of working in an artistic and creative environment with people with disabilities. The training day considered the concepts of creative targets, the importance or otherwise of product in an artistic project - where sometimes process is as important, and, in planning artistic activities, we will see how to perceive liberation instead of, hindrance and limitation. The session will culminate with hands on activity with some unique musical instruments – so, as well as enjoyment, participants will consider how instrument design can democratise music-making.
Learning Outcomes
- An increased confidence of participants when approaching and interacting with people with disabilities
- An ability to recognise different types of impairments
- An awareness of, and use of, the correct language and terminology
- An understanding of the basic legal duties and respected rights for people with disabilities
- An introduction to how music technology can empower people with disabilities
- Participants will have identified some of the issues and challenges arising from working in a creative environment with people with disabilities
Sample Training Activity
Changing Attitudes - a discussion and practical input exercise looking at the practicalities of meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities – visible and hidden.
Resources: Power point slides and examples of inclusion models.
Activity: The facilitator presents a slide on language where participants are reminded that some widely used words and phrases can give offence because they reinforce prejudices and preconceptions (Adapt NI). When working with young people as youth or arts workers we need to be mindful of the words and terminology used. Many people respond "well what's in a word?" However we know that some of the words and phrases used can offend people with disabilities because these suggest the person is dependent or helpless. We need to portray positive attitudes alongside practical changes e.g. physical adaptations to buildings so that we can do all in our power to ensure that disabled people have a fairer chance of participating in events. The facilitators shared some common words to avoid with suggested alternatives.
Discussion: A key conclusion is that attitude is more important than language. The most disabling barriers to inclusion are often not physical but are the negative attitudes expressed by other people, "Stereotyping discrimination and prejudice can have the most long-term and damaging effects" (Diverseability, YCNI, 2008). The key message is that we see the person and not the impairment.
Summary
A key learning point that many participants reiterated was 'not to presume and not to be afraid to ask'; this realisation gave people confidence in dealing with people with disabilities. Participants felt the training was very stimulating and enjoyed the great variety of exercises, techniques and models shown which they were keen to start to integrate into their working practice. The potential for using music as well as many other arts forms was demonstrated as a terrific way to engage people with visual, hearing and mobility impairments.
This project was supported by the YCNI Short Term Programme.
Training can be tailor made to suit your group/organisation. You can commission a single topic or the complete set of three sessions. For further details and costs please contact lucy@wheelworks.org.uk
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