Disability Confidence in Business Pilot Project Launch

Description

Shannon Chamber, in association with Employability Clare, is leading a campaign to promote disability confidence in business. This pilot project also involves Ennis and Limerick Chambers and Employability Limerick.

The project’s goal is to promote and build disability confidence in our business communities and make disability confidence a standard of business excellence. The aim is to set a new appreciation for ability within disability and, by the end April, that Clare and Limerick will set the standard by becoming the first counties in Ireland where businesses become disability confident.

Definition of disability

Disability is a broad term. It includes people with physical or sensory disabilities, people with mental health conditions, people who acquire a disability or illness, people with intellectual disabilities, people across the autism spectrum and people recovering from accidents. Often a disability is not visible, such as dyslexia, epilepsy, chronic pain or diabetes.

Disability confidence

Disability confidence encourages businesses in very practical ways to build their capacity to employ and do business with people with disabilities. There are proven business benefits to being disability confident.

Keynote Speakers:

Helen Mcfarlane, Business Disability Forum, UK.

Business Disability Forum have developed a Disability Confident business standard and support businesses through a compliance process, and facilitate learning and networking events. They also host ‘Disability Smart Business’ awards annually.

Brendan Roach, Senior Disability Consultant at Business Disability Forum (BDF) has more than ten years’ experience supporting organisations on all aspects of improving disability confidence. Brendan is also a strategic advisor to several organisations including central UK government departments.

George Percy, Disability Training Consultant

Founder and managing director of Disability Consultancy Services, Ireland’s leading training provider of Disability / Equality / Diversity Awareness Training. Prior to losing his eyesight in 1995, George worked in the area of training; this inspired him to pursue a career in training after becoming blind. Disability Consultancy Services is owned and run by people with a disability. George will outline the benefits of Disability Awareness training.

Siobhan Mungovan, author, and Clare County Council employee, will share her experiences on how workplace accommodation has enhanced her working environment..

People with disabilities make up 11% of Ireland’s population and have a spending power of €3.3 billion. 63% of people with a disability are unemployed.

We invite you to join us at the launch to learn how your company can contribute to our goal of making this region exemplary in disability confidence.