Awareness courses for management and staff
Your team will generally want to be supportive of people with disability. Understanding the nature of disability or particular conditions helps them to do this. There are a range of courses and training programs available to educate your management and staff on a variety of disability issues.
Disability awareness training
Disability awareness training can help your team be more supportive when communicating and working with people with disability. Disability awareness training provides facts, research, and tips for cooperating in the workplace.
Many employer organisations, such as the Australian Network on Disability and consultancy services provide employers and staff with disability awareness training.
Free disability awareness training is available for National Disability Coordinator (NDRC) partners and alumni.
Content offers participants a general overview of disability including interesting facts, dispelling myths and a range of tips to support good practice in your workplace. By the end of the session your employees will have greater insight into disability and employment and a better understanding of how to create a more inclusive, supportive workplace for all your staff – including people with disability.
If your organisation is working with a provider of Disability Employment Services (DES), your provider will likely also be available to come into your workplace and speak to staff about working with people with disability.
Fact Sheet
Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health First Aid training can give your team the knowledge and skills to support an employee who may have a mental health issue or episode at work. For more information, visit the Mental Health First Aid website.
For information, resources and tools to help you better understand the importance of workplace mental health, go to the Heads Up website. Heads Up was developed by Beyond Blue and is supported by the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance.
Downloadable resources available through Heads Up include:
- Heads Up’s ‘Managing someone with a mental health condition’
- ‘Creating a mentally healthy workplace – a guide for managers’
Fact Sheet
Deaf awareness training
If one or more of your employees is deaf or has a hearing impairment, your team can participate in deaf awareness training. This training gives your management and staff an insight into the lives and needs of people who are deaf. It can show them ways to better communicate with workmates who are deaf or have a hearing impairment.
Sign language training
If one or more of your employees uses Auslan (Australian Sign Language), your team can benefit from training in how to communicate using sign language.
Financial assistance for awareness training
Your organisation may be eligible for financial assistance to have staff participate in disability awareness training, mental health awareness training, deaf awareness training or sign language training. A JobAccess Adviser can help determine which programs your organisation may be eligible for. Contact a JobAccess Adviser on 1800 464 800 and ask how the Employment Assistance Fund can help your organisation with awareness training.
Free online Disability Awareness training is also available through disABILITY AWAREness.
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