Disability Awareness
This course looks at disability in a practical way that is fun and engaging, whilst giving an opportunity to reflect and develop your practise in supporting people with disabilities.
The course takes you through a series of thought-provoking activities which allow you to experience first hand what it is like, to have a disability - for example to complete a form, if you have dyspraxia or some other fine motor difficulty; or how it feels to be pushed in a wheelchair by someone who has no empathy or understanding of how it would feel to experience this.
You will be encouraged to put yourself in situations that people with disabilities find themselves in and to experience some sense of the vulnerability, feelings and frustrations it may cause each person. This will hopefully help you to recognise and understand why certain responses can develop and what you can change in what you do, to help people to develop coping strategies in order to make the task less difficult.
You will be asked to describe how the activities make you feel and how you can improve your communication skills to make these situations more easily accessible.
The course is recommended for anyone who works with people with disabilities in any sector - education, health or care environments or indeed anyone who may encounter people with disability. It is also beneficial for students at school or college who may not know or understand disability including understanding that not all disabilities are visible.
Areas covered on the course are - Visual Impairment, Auditory, Fine Motor issues, Wheelchair Users and the challenges faced by people with complex and profound needs (PMLD).
