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Online Information on Employment and Training Opportunities for Disabled PeopleProject Reference Group Meetings |
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Agenda: |
Robert Baslingto-Breakthrough UK Ltd
Mary Moss-Isaware/Workers Educational Association (WEA)
Jessica Guilfoyle-Oldham Peoples Advocacy and Leisure (OPAL)
Linda Doyle-Manchester Community Information Network (MCIN)
Gill Carter-Tameside College
Ruth Gould-Full Circle Arts
Eve Davidson-Isaware
John Clark-Project Evaluator
Dave Ellis-Toucan
Tom Knox -Toucan
Alex McDonald-Toucan
Charles Caine-DIAL (Denton)
John Turpin-DIAL (Trafford)
Tish Docerthy-MTTP
Marjorie Sheppard -Manchester PACT
Lorraine Gradwell-Breakthrough UK Ltd
Ian Harford -WEA
Peter Fell-IRISI
Anika Ireland -Voluntary Action Manchester (VAM)
The project came about because of the lack of access to relevant information and the general absence of work matching the needs for disability information.
Toucan was also one of the founder members of an organisation called GLADNET which aims to promote disability policies and reform current employment strategies towards integrated training and employment options.
The project can be divided into 3 strands:
The training is aimed at Information Workers within Disability Information and Advice Organisations and at Disabled individuals. They will under go training in accessing and using the Internet as well as developing was in which information can be made more accessible.
The site is to be used as a ‘signpost’ to existing useful information available on the Internet. This information will be identified in conjunction with the groups and individuals involved as well a liaising with existing national information bodies such as DisabilityNet. The information within the site has to made as accessible as possible under the idea of ‘access for all’.
As mentioned above the site, format and style of the information available needs to be in an accessible format. The project aims to develop the format in a way that makes this achievable and will be looking at how the information is presented, is it easily navigated etc.
On-Line has links to two other projects in Spain and Italy. The reason for transnational co-operation is very simple - the sharing of innovative ideas and approaches across national boundaries promotes new activities and approaches that may not be possible in the sphere of domestic work.
ILO, the International Labour Organisation, is a UN specialised agency that seeks the promotion of social justice and internationally recognised human and labour rights, founded in 1919. The ILO formulates international labour standards in the form of Conventions and Recommendations setting minimum standards of basic labour rights. Their vocational training centre, based in Turin, Italy, is running the project 'CONTACT', which is to create self-employment for those with a sight disability by setting up co-operatives with the participation of these disabled people in the sector of communications and publishing.
CEPES, the Spanish Business Confederation for Social Economy, is an independent, professional organisation at a national level, founded in 1992 and based in Madrid, Spain. CEPES believes in democratic and participative management and that economic activity should be sustained through the association of people and the concept of privacy. Their project 'CEPADITE' is aimed at creating new ways for disabled people to access employment including the use of information and communication technologies (ICT's). Also to develop an economically and socially acceptable strategy at a European level to enable the integration of disabled people within employment.
It is important to recognise that this project has a wider dimension and that it is possible for the project outputs to feed into and influence European development and policies.
The project started in January and has been contacting various groups about the project and its aims and objectives. The nature of the groups range from;
From these contacts, and others as the project progresses, the shape and details of the objectives etc., will be developed.
The training aspect so far has concentrated on identifying courses that directly link to the usage of the Internet.
The above courses cover basic introductions to the Internet and progress to include web page design, virtual meetings and video conferencing. We will also be providing ‘added value’ areas as part of the training such as accessible web page design and issues.
The project also has scope to cover areas of training not directly linked to the use of the Internet as an information source. For example there are qualifications for Advice and Guidance (at NVQ or equivalent) that groups/organisations may wish their workers to undertake.
The delivery of the training is to be flexible with support ‘in house’ to reduce the amount of time out of office for the Information Workers, the same principle exists for the groups of individuals. Rather than expect them to enrol at their local college, although if people wish to do so they can, we will attempt organise training local to their area or within existing organisations that may be linked with.
We have been looking at the issues of accessibility and format and how ‘access for all’ can be achieved. There area no definitive guidelines on accessibility for the Internet although there are a number of working draft guidelines, using these as a starting point we aim to develop a document than can easily be used by information providers. The groups involved in the project as well as other organisations such as DisabilityNet will influence the scope of this document, for example.
These guidelines can also be used to influence ‘mainstream’ information providers in an attempt to widen access to information and generally raise awareness of the issue.
The area of accessibility also includes the format of the web page, how do people move around within it? How should information be stored? What type of database? These are all issues that need to be addressed within the project and again developed in conjunction with organisations involved.
The project will continue to develop along the lines mentioned above and to increase to number of contacts and organisations involved. Currently we have initial links to a number of other projects/activities including the following;
There will be a quarterly newsletter initially outlining the project, its aims and objectives (to be distributed in April). This will also be a way of promoting discussion around the issues involved.
It is important to note that the word Telematics is extensively used when talking about the Internet etc., and within this project it not used as another way of ‘pigeon-holing’ disabled people and the type of work they can undertake. There is a danger that ‘teleworking’ can be seen within this light but again our view is that any job or type of working has to suit the individual not because of their situation.
ECOTEC Research manages the EMPLOYMENT Support Unit and Consulting Limited on Behalf of the Department for Education and Employment and the Scottish Office Development Department.
The role of the Employment Support Unit, as its name suggests, is to support the EMPLOYMENT Initiative in GB and by extension across the European Union. Support Units exist in all the other Member Sates and are known as National Support Structures. The Support Unit supports the Initiatives by:
Match funding supports the funding available project and training provision. This requires that organisations using the training provided by the project will provide match-funding certificates as the project progresses and develops.
The groups role is not to directly manage the project but to act as a filter of information and to promote awareness of the issues involved. It will attempt provide some of the co-ordination of the project through links with organisations involved and the use of networking to other activities.
There is not a fixed membership nor is it exclusive to one type of organisation and the people involved may change over time.
The group has already noted issues that could come under the remit of the group and project:
The project has a system of external to see how the project develops and to it reaches.
The evaluation aims to examine the following:
The evaluation form will be used as part of developing the ongoing strategy and work programme of the project. If people could return the forms to the address by the 2nd April 1998.
8. Date of Next Meeting
Friday 19th June 1998 10am
St Thomas's Centre
Ardwick Green North
Manchester
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Last updated: 6 August 1999
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