Thursday Thoughts

On June 15, 2023 / Front Page, News

#ThursdayThoughts

Today’s is Thursday and that means it’s the start of our #ThursdayThoughts series where we share a thought on disability, equality or accessibility.

Today’s thought focusses on the need to implement and enforce the Equality Act 2010. This Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against people because of their protected characteristics. If you’d like to know more about the Equality Act, get in touch either by emailing us on info@accessible.wales or give us a call 01685 810432.

Online Town Centre Accessibility Forum – Aberdare

On September 28, 2020 / Access, Disability Information, Events, Front Page, News

Let’s Talk Access

Statue of Caradog surrounded by new COVID19 barriers.

There have been many stories in the media about the potential decline in the town centres throughout the country. With the current COVID19 restrictions in place people are shopping more online and out of town for convenience and personal safety.

In 2007 Accessible Wales worked with Rhondda Cynon Taff local authority and traders in Mountain Ash to carry out a “Town Centre Access Improvement Project”. During this project the local authority commissioned Accessible Wales to carry out access audits for those businesses to help them to improve their access for disabled people.

We are now proposing to work with businesses in the eight town centres to help improve access for disabled people. Starting with an online forum ror businesses based in Aberdare on Thursday 5^th November at 10am for more information you can download the flyer here.

Following on from this meeting more events will be scheduled for businesses in Ferndale, Llantrisant, Mountain Ash, Pontypridd, Porth, Tonypandy, Treorchy. The project will then be evaluated and before rolling out to other local authorities.

This forum will be an opportunity to discuss what each business thinks are the key access issues in their area, and any potential access issues their business may have.

Principal Consultant Richard Jones working in Accessible Wales before lockdown restrictions

Principal Consultant Richard Jones says:

This is a great opportunity to engage with local businesses in the town centre to help improve access for disabled people. The online forum will be an independent vehicle to help start to make access improvements in Aberdare, with a view to it being rolled out to the other town centre and beyond.

Now more than ever it is important for small local businesses to do as much as they can to keep their doors open. We want to do as much as we can to help.

If you would like to know more about the services we offer please either get in touch with us via 01685 810432 or email info@accessible.wales.

Disability Awareness Training – October 24th 2019 10am – 1pm

On October 4, 2019 / Events, Front Page, News

Disability Awareness Training – October 24th 2019 10am – 1pm

Do you have three hours free for a bit of personal development? If the answer is yes, then why not register for our latest Disability Awareness training course.

The course is taking place at our office in Roberstown on Thursday 24^th October 2019 10am – 1pm for only £30 per person! Our courses aim to raise the awareness of delegates towards the needs of people with disabilities which should increase the accessibility of your service.

To book on this training course visit here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disability-awareness-training-half-day-course-morning-tickets-69002872449

Delegates Undertaking a Disability Awareness Quiz

Some of the subjects covered are:

Understanding more about disability:

Delegates will look at their own understanding of disability and how disability relates to them

Examine potential access issues and customer service scenarios:

This is activity is split into a hands-on activity looking at some potential access issues and a practical activity looking at customer service scenarios.

The right thing to say at work; to understand is to get it right:

Looking at appropriate language, the etiquette of communicating with people with disabilities.

We have many, many positive comments for all our courses, here are just some of the comment’s delegates have made when attending our training.

“I think the delivery was extremely well balanced giving both sides as to what was realistically achievable i.e. Changes are effected by budgets and what one person finds appropriate another may not. The main point to remember is communication.”

“A very pleasant course to attend. Richard and Gemma work very well together. It was informative and easy to understand.”

“Found the course informative and now feel like I have a better understanding of what to look for and to do to make things more accessible for people with disabilities.”

Principal Consultant Richard Jones about to start a training course

Hosted by Principal Consultant Richard Jones, sessions are informal, extremely informative, very emotive and at times, highly amusing!

To book visit us on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disability-awareness-training-half-day-course-morning-tickets-69002872449 or call 01685 810432, block bookings are welcome.

You can also download a flyer with information on this training course by clicking here. We also have training scheduled for Monday November 25th 2019 which will also take place in our office but will be 1pm – 4pm, to download a flyer for this course click here.

Disability Awareness Training coming up, at times to suit you!

On August 16, 2019 / Events, Front Page, News, Training

We have Disability Awareness Training coming up!

We have four training dates scheduled for September, October, November and December. These courses are full and half day and vary in times and days to suit most diaries, and if they don’t suit your diary… let us know we can come to you!

You can download our training calendar here.

Principal Consultant Richard Jones working with delegates on one of the activities

Delegates studying the layout of an accessible WC

The first course we have scheduled is a Disability Awareness Training Full Day course on Wednesday 25th September (10am – 3pm) costing £50 per person. You can book a place on this course by visiting our Eventbrite page.

Here’s a downloadable training flyer for this course.

The next Disability Awareness Training course is a Half Day course on Thursday 24th October 2019 (10am – 3pm) costing £30 per person. You can book a place on this course by visiting our Eventbrite page.

Here’s a downloadable training flyer for this course.

I write to thank you for the invaluable training you have provided to our staff both at the Aberdare and Cardiff sites. Our staff thoroughly enjoyed the training sessions and found the interaction both educational and fun. Many staff members are apprehensive around training as they worry they will made to feel or look foolish – this was definitely not the case with your training and everyone came back animated and enthusiastic about the subject.

I would happy to recommend your training to anyone and will be looking to do refresher courses next year.

Lynwen Francis
Managing Partner
St John’s Medical Practice, Aberdare

This is just one of our many testimonials, you can read some more of them by visiting our training feedback here , you can also download our training brochure, this will give you information on all the training services we offer.

All our training is customisable and can be tailored to the needs of our clients.