Training Comes Home

On November 11, 2016 / Events, Front Page, News, Training

Accessible Wales Training Venue

Yesterday, Accessible Wales was pleased to carry out our Disability Awareness Training Course back in our old home, The Cynon Valley Museum.

Hands on activity walking around the museum

Delegates on the course included staff from Rhondda Cynon Taff, Forest View Medical Centre and Rhos House Surgery. The course was our three hour course which covered topics such as:

Introduction to Disability
Customer Service Scenarios
Appropriate Language and Signage

Our training courses are awareness based and can be full or half day. They are practical, and allow delegates to explore issues that their clients/customers may encounter when accessing their services/products.

At Accessible Wales we pride ourselves in ensuring that all our delegates leave our training with a raised level of awareness to ensure that they are able to offer the best possible service to those they serve.

Richard Jones with Charlotte Morgan from the Cynon Valley Museum

Principal Consultant Richard Jones can be seen pictured above with Charlotte Morgan, Development Manager for the Cynon Valley Museum. Since opening in 2007 we have carried out a multitude of training sessions in the museum and are proud that we can rekindle our relationship. A trust has taken over the running of the Museum and Accessible Wales will be working hand in hand with them to improve the access and help them grow, helping to make the museum a hub for the community.

Richard Jones with course delgates and volunteer Lindsey Williams

For more information on the training we offer visit our Disability Awareness Training Page. We will be adding more feedback from our recent courses but for now you can read many comments on our Testimonials Page.

All our training is customisable and can be offered in full day or half day format, we run regular training courses at a central venue, or we can come to you, if you have more than five staff members we can come to you.

Keep your eyes peeled for the launch of our Anti-Bullying training course for children, for more information email info@accessiblewales.co.uk.

Disability Awareness Training, 10th November 2016

On October 8, 2016 / Events, Front Page, News, Training

Disability Awareness Training, 10th November 2016

Staff from The Caerau Lane Surgery, Ely and Old School Surgery Pontyclun on our most recent course

We have training scheduled for Thursday 10^th November 2016 in the Cynon Valley Museum. Training starts at 2pm and finishes at 5pm and is £30 per person, for more information click here .

Training with staff from Monmouthshire Town Council

We’ve trained scores of people since we began training in 2008, you can find some of our testimonials by clicking here, we’ll be adding more soon. Thee contents of the course content will contain:

An Introduction To Disability
Customer Service Scenarios
Language and Signage

Delegates from a Disability Awareness Training Course in 2015

Led by company owner and Principal Consultant these courses are light hearted and informative. The courses are informal and aim to help delegates understand disability on a practical day-to-day basis. Principal Consultant Richard Jones says:

The training courses we carry out gives our clients a good base of knowledge, delegates can – explore disability and how it impacts on their day-to-day professional and personal life. Often disability can be a difficult subject to talk about, this course is light hearted and relaxed allowing delegates to explore any concerns, queries or questions they may have about disability.

Staff from Karl’s Kabs and Town’s Taxis attending a Disability Awareness training course in 2014

Even if you’ve attended similar courses before, this course is one that you should have under your belt to help you with your professional and personal development. Whether you’re a taxi driver, or a school teacher this course will benefit you!

Disability Awareness Training Thursday 10th November 2016

This course has thirteen places available on it, if you would like us to come to your staff we can… let us know! All our training is bespoke, if you would like to know more about our training, visit the training page… or better still give us a call on 01685 810432. You can also download our training flyer here .

Hot Off The Press

On October 7, 2016 / Cllient News, Front Page, News, Quarterly Newsletter

Accessible Wales quarterly newsletter is out now! We will produce a quarterly newsletter which will be available online and emailed to clients and interested organisations/groups etc.

If you would like to download a copy click here, if you would like to be added to a list of subscribers feel free to email us . The main story in this month’s newsletter is heralding the accessible features that Swansea museum has to offer.

Swansea Museum has been access audited by Accessible Wales

The newsletter will be bringing you access and awareness tips, news about our clients and also news on what we have got going on, it’s all free too, what more can you ask for?

To download a copy of our newsletter click here .

Making Play Areas Accessible

On October 7, 2016 / Access, Front Page, News

Mia Thorne with Vikki Howells AM and friends at the Play Area Launch

As a disability consultancy company we aim to enhance accessibility around Wales and Wednesday saw us mark the launch of a new accessible play area in Cilfynydd.

Mia officially opening the park

The inaccessibility of the play area was brought to our attention by Mia Thorne, an inspirational young lady who has a desire to help highlight the inaccessibility that people with disabilities face. Mia wants to make play areas, housing and education accessible for people with varying disabilities.

Mia and friends with Vikki Howells, Cllr Barrie Morgan, Cllr Ann Crimmings and myself (Richard Jones)

I am really pleased with the end result of this play area; it’s excellent and very accessible. This project highlights the importance of joint working, it is a collaboration between ourselves, Mia, officers from Rhondda Cynon Taff council, Vikki Howells AM and councillors Barrie Morgan and Ann Crimmings.

: Mia and friends on the bucket swing

: Children playing on the wheelchair accessible roundabout

In this day and age it is vitally important to strive towards an inclusive society and people with disabilities are able to use the park with comfort and ease. With such a positive example of what can be done to help empower people with disabilities we should be encouraging people to use these facilities and not abuse them. It is important to ensure that these play areas are cared for, Councillor Barrie Morgan says the following:

“If we are investing in our community it is important for the community to invest too.”

I would like to congratulate Rhondda Cynon Taff council on taking accessibility seriously and ensuring that children with disabilities can play too.

Mia and friends on the slide with Vikki Howells, Cllr Barrie Morgan, Cllr Ann Crimmings and myself (Richard Jones)

Two Access Reviews Completed

On September 12, 2016 / Access, Cllient News, Front Page, News

Two Access Reviews Completed

Public Health Wales and Aberdare Community School reviews before presentation

Last week Accessible Wales handed in two Access Reviews, one for Rhondda Cynon Taff on Aberdare Community School and the second for Public Health Wales on their new offices in Capital Quarter 2, Cardiff.

These two jobs represent the two opposite ends of the work we carry out as part of our Access Consultancy Service.

Aberdare Community School

Firstly was a review of the new Community School, a school designed to be fully accessible. This building was already open and our review involved looking at access from a pupil’s perspective.

Public Health Wales new office

The second piece of work was reviewing the access to a new building. Previous clients Public Health Wales were moving offices into a new building and commissioned us to look at the accessibility before any of the furniture was put in place. This is always good practice as it can save on alterations once the building is finished. While these are not always costly they can have an impact on the way a building is used.

Both pieces of work were a pleasure to undertake, both buildings have the potential to be beacons in relation to access.

If you would like to know more about the accessibility of your building please get in touch. All our access services can be tailored to any building, whether it’s a one room shop, hospital, listed building or six story new building we cater for all.

Some of the varied clients who have benefited from our access consultancy service

For more information visit our Access Consultancy page, or contact us.

Or just call us now

Cynon Valley Museum Is Now Open

On September 8, 2016 / Events, Front Page, News

Cynon Valley Museum Is Now Open

Cynon Valley Chairperson Dinah Pye (front) with Vikki Howells AM, myself, Roy Noble, Lord Aberdare and Ann Clwyd MP

I was extremely pleased to be invited to the launch of the Cynon Valley Museum recently. The museum was one of the first clients Accessible Wales worked with and I’m proud to say that relationship will continue again.

A photo taken from our first access review of the Cynon Valley Museum in 2007

Since opening in 2007 Accessible Wales has had a strong working relationship with the Cynon Valley Museum, carrying out a number of access audits/reviews and basing many training courses in the suite upstairs. We’ve even used the museum as a base for our training/refresher Access Reviews.

As part of our non-profit organisation Accessible News I established an information surgery which operated from the museum for a number of years helping local residents with issues such as benefits queries, supporting people with employment issues and more. The museum was ideally placed to offer this service as it has the meeting room on the upstairs which offers confidentiality and a more relaxed area in the cafe for general conversation.

People studied the exhibits enthusiastically

Accessible Wales will be continuing to work with the trustees, staff and volunteers of the museum over a prolonged period of time to improve the access in and around the building as well as improving features for people with varying disabilities. The trustees are keen to make the museum the heart of the community and I know they share my view that providing access and facilities for all is the ideal way to accomplish this goal.

A Recent Photograph of the front of the museum

Congratulations to the trustees, Charlotte Morgan (Development Manager) and volunteers on their fantastic effort in getting the museum open and hosting such a fantastic event. Thanks to Clint Elwyn Thomas for some of the photographs.

Thanks for reading

Richard Jones

Principal Consultant

Accessible Wales

Working With Public Health Wales

On August 1, 2016 / Access, Front Page, News

Richard Jones outside Capital Quarter 2, Public Health Wales Office

We are proud today to have been access reviewing Capital Quarter 2 building in Cardiff for Public Health Wales. The building is a blank canvas, with no furniture in. Public Health Wales and their designers have put an exceptional amount of work in making the building accessible, and we are very impressed that we’ve been asked to consult on the access at such an early stage.

Temple of Peace a building that was occupied by Public Health Wales

In 2015 Accessible Wales consulted for Public Health Wales on access to the Temple of Peace. The Temple of Peace is 70 – 75 years old, and is a grade two listed building. This means that there can be difficulties when making physical alterations regarding access improvement. The building is used for external events such as weddings and filming by television companies.

Capital Quarter 2, Public Health Wales Office

If you would like more about about our Access Consultancy service visit the page, or you can get in touch by visiting our Contact Page. Our access consultancy service has worked with small one roomed shops, new buildings and listed buildings, we can tailor our service to meet your needs.

Forging Relationships with Merthyr Council

On July 20, 2016 / Front Page, News

Forging Relationships with Merthyr Council

Monday 16th May I attended the launch of the Remain Campaign in Merthyr

After recently attending the launch of the Remain campaign in Penderyn Square, Merthyr Tydfil I had the pleasure of meeting Cllr Brendan Toomey Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’s Leader. We had a brief chat and swapped contact details.

Since then Brendan and I have communicated via email and social networking, a meeting was arranged for me to meet with Kerry O’Donovan, Corporate Risk and Equalities Manager for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. From our communications Brendan appeared to be an approachable and positive thinking person, keen to look at equality issues.

Kerry O’Donovan and I outside Merthyr’s Civic Centre

Kerry and I met yesterday, a glorious Tuesday morning, at the Civic Centre, a picturesque and prestigious building which appeared to be wheelchair accessible on the ground floor.

Merthyr’s Civic Centre

We discussed the services Accessible Wales offers such as the training consultancy and access consultancy service. The meeting was very positive and Kerry and I we will be discussing opportunities on an ongoing basis. We also discussed our non-profit sister organisation Accessible News and the work we undertake, for more information visit the website.

Kerry has an excellent attitude towards equality and progressing with improving equality awareness and I look forward to working with him in the future.

I’d like to thank both Brendan for arranging to the meeting, and Kerry for taking the time to meet me. I thought the meeting was excellent and both Accessible Wales and Accessible News can forge strong relationships with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council in order to benefit its staff, business, groups/organisations and residents.

If you would like to meet with me to discuss the services my company offers or would like to know more about Accessible News visit our contact page.

Thanks for your time.

Richard Jones

Principal Consultant

Disability Awareness Training Coming To A Venue Near You… Soon!!

On May 31, 2016 / Front Page, News, Training

Training Now Open To The Public

Accessible Wales is pleased to announce that we are opening our training up to members of the public. Our flagship Disability Awareness training course will be three hours long and will be scheduled in venues throughout the Cynon Valley over the next six months.

If the courses prove to be successful we aim to roll them out throughout Rhondda Cynon Taff and beyond. The contents of the course will be:

An Introduction To Disability
Disability Perception
Customer Service Scenarios
Language and Signage

The training courses we carry out gives our clients a good base of knowledge, delegates can -explore disability and how it impacts on their day-to-day professional and personal life. Often disability can be a difficult subject to talk about, this course is light hearted and relaxed allowing delegates to explore any concerns, queries or questions they may have about disability.

To find out about our training service you can click here. As soon as our sessions are booked, we will publish them on here and share the information on our social media.

If you’d like us to train in a venue near you, or your venue, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Great Training Course at Old School Surgery – Pontyclun

On May 24, 2016 / Front Page, News, Training

Staff from Old School Surgery Pontyclun after Successfully completing a Disability Awareness Course

On Thursday 19th May Accessible Wales trained staff from the Old School Surgery in Pontyclun. The course was a three hour course and covered issues such as:

* Introduction to Disability

* Appropriate Language and Signage

* Access Issues

* Customer Service Scenarios

This course is our most popular course, we have trained staff from Celtic Manor, Bridgend College, St John’s Medical Practice (Aberdare) to name just three of the many organisations who’s staff have benefited from our training.

This course was a huge success, Principal Consultant and Senior Trainer Richard Jones described the group as

Enthusiastic, highly skilled with a desire to know more.

When reviewing the feedback the following comments were made.

Richard was fantastic at explaining disabilities and was easy to understand and talk to. Thank you

(Sophie Williams)

I found the course interesting – The practical tasks were thought provoking and has made me more aware of the problems that people with a disability may face. I intend to use what I have gained in knowledge to promote more independence with patients.

(Susan Pinniger)

The course made me appreciate some of the the facilities within the workplace which could be difficult to some patients/visitors.

(Christine Howells)

Richard Jones said the following about the course:

It is always great to carry out this course as I believe passionately in, not only it’s contents but also the wide sweeping benefits it has on the clients we’ve trained. The staff of the Old School Surgery, Pontyclun were an extremely able group who were all ready highly aware and wanted to know more. They took in as much information as they could and embraced all the activities thoroughly, it was a pleasure to lead the course.

All twelve feedback forms stated that they would recommend our course to colleagues and friends in the future.

Principal Consultant Richard Jones with staff from Old School Surgery Pontyclun after Successfully completing the course

If you would like to know more about our training get in touch, you can call 01685 810432 or visit the contact page. All our training is customisable for our clients needs, we can create bespoke training courses to suit the needs of clients in all industries. The training experience a delegate will receive when attending our flagship Disability Awareness course is light hearted, informal yet highly informative and very factual. Delegates will be introduced to disability from a first hand perspective, this subject can often be emotive and difficult to discuss but trainer Richard Jones’ unique style and light hearted approach helps makes delegates feel at ease and therefore learn more, and ask questions they may not normally ask.

We also offer training in Equality and more specifically Disability Equality, these are courses which look at (as the name suggests) the equality aspects of disability. These courses are not only beneficial for staff members who are on the front line but also those who hold more of a leadership and strategic overview. For more information visit our Training Page.

Archive for the Front Page Category

Disability Awareness Training, 10th November 2016

Two Access Reviews Completed

Cynon Valley Museum Is Now Open

Forging Relationships with Merthyr Council