Valerie Richards offers disability awareness training for service providers, especially in the field of transport. A very thorough training programme that can be adapted to meet the needs of the participants.

The training involves:

• * Exploring emotional barriers which may prevent good practice on service delivery
• * Through interactive work, exploring ways in which these barriers can be tackled and removed
• * Looking at the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act on service provision
• * Looking at how peoples’ attitudes can affect the way a service is provided

At the moment Valerie offers a 1 day training package. This involves ½ a day about emotional awareness and ½ a day about how this can impact a professional service.

Addressing both professional service and the emotional awareness of working with people with disabilities Valerie has developed a course for the taxi drivers looking to pass The Brighton & Hove ‘Knowledge’ required for licensed taxi drivers. Her mutual relationship with the Brighton Taxi trade has been built on 7 years of working together and Valerie still regularly delivers training to new drivers.

Disability awareness development for the taxi drivers comprises a half a day course within which time is spent exploring attitudes and presumptions towards disability. The course then continues from this new awareness, spending time highlighting the ease with which manual assistance can be offered.

The course so enables drivers and businesses access, with specific emphasis on wheelchair accessible taxis to comply with the legal requirements of the DDA, thus expanding the market and client base to which these businesses are accessible. Valerie has a direct and engaging approach to the premise that service provision for people with disabilities is more than ‘just a ramp’. The attitude and skill of the provider is important to the smooth running of the service. Valerie is skilled in supporting the understanding of this issue and has produced a DVD about good practise for taxi drivers.

“Valerie commands respect both because she herself speaks from experience and because she lightens the sessions with humour and encourages participation. The practical side of cab and wheelchairs was well demonstrated.”

“The tutors seemed very open and relaxed which was encouraging”.

“I found a lot of very useful information.”

Feedback from Training Session, December 2005.

For prices please contact us HERE!

For Online Training package click HERE!