Disability Confident in Action - Unlocking potential and building inclusion

Wednesday 13th October & Thursday 14th October - 9.00-1.00

This event builds on our previous conference "Is Your Organisation Disability Confident?" and begins the process of putting into place strategies and assistive technologies that will help to create a disability confident organisation.

Learn how to attract, develop and retain a diverse pool of talented people. The conference will include a series of short and lively presentations that will help you understand how to remove a variety of barriers in your workplace.

BATA welcomes people from all employment sectors to this two-day conference which will take place on consecutive mornings on the 13th & 14th October between 9:00am and 1:00pm.

During the two half day sessions, we will be covering a range of workplace adjustments, finishing up with a take-away framework document, to help promote inclusion in your organisation.

AGENDA

Wednesday 13th October

Support for people in the workplace with communication and sensory barriers

9.00 Welcome – Noel Duffy, Chair, Dolphin Computer Access

9.10 Embedding people with disabilities into your organisation – Steve Tyler, Leonard Cheshire Disability

9.25 Funding the extra cost – Paul Doyle, Bush and Co

9.40 Policy & Legislative Background – Robert McLaren, Policy Connect

Communication difficulties –this session addresses support of people with Motor Neuron Disease, Cerebral Palsy, MS, Parkinson and others

9:55 Support practitioner – cultural support and necessary accommodations - Adam Hyland & Megan Reed, Diversity and Ability

10:10 AAC demonstration – Eye Gaze & Communication - Joe Naraynsingh , Tobii Dynavox

10.30 Break

Sensory Barriers – supporting people with vision and hearing loss

Visual Impairment

10:45 Creating a low vision friendly workplace - Robin Spinks, RNIB

11:00 Effortless approach to creating accessible content – website and documents - Richard Orme, DAISY Consortium

11:15 Blindness solution - Stuart Lawler, Sight and Sound Technology

11:30 Low vision solution - Steve Bennett, Dolphin Computer Access

Hearing Impairment

11:45 Creating a hearing friendly workspace - James Cooney, Gordon Morris

Workshops

12.00 Three parallel workshops – each includes a case study, open discussion culminating in a set of actions

• Communications Tools & Strategies - Adam Hyland & Megan Reed, Diversity and Ability
• Vision - Robin Spinks, RNIB
• Hearing - Kerry Ross, National Deaf Children's Society

12.40 Round-up and action plan - Noel Duffy, Chair, Dolphin Computer Access

Thursday 14th October

Neurodiversity and mental health in the workplace

9.00 Introduction – Noel Duffy, Chair, Dolphin Computer Access

9.10 Thinking differently about neuro-diversity in the workplace - Aidan Healy, Lexxic

9.25 Some practical insights to organisational inclusivity - Chris Griffiths, Ayoa

Neurodiversity (Part i.) - Supporting people with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Autism, ADHD, towards improved outcomes in the workplace

Information processing (reading and writing)

9:40 Preparing the organisation – creating reading ‘ramps’ - Richard Orme, DAISY Consortium

9:55 Reading/writing solutions – Desktop – Stuart Blair, Texthelp

10:10 Reading solutions for paper – PJ Balderstone, Scanning Pens

10:25 Using digital Dictation systems in a report based environment - James English, Hands Free Computing

10.40 Break

Neurodiversity (Part ii.) – supporting people to focus, collaborate and manage their emotions

10:55 Focus - Mind mapping – Liam Pettit, Matchware

11:10 Collaboration and Focus - Caity Evans, Ayoa

11:25 Managing emotions - Conor Ward, Brain in Hand

Mental Health – supporting people in the workplace towards better mental health

11:40 Having a mentally healthy workplace - Prof. Derek Peters, A-m8@Work

11:55 Mental health management solutions – Brett Griffiths, A-m8@Work

Workshops

12:10 Four parallel events – each includes a case study, open discussion culminating in a set of actions

• Creating a neurodiverse organisation – Janine King CEO of iDiversity Consulting Ltd, featuring a case study from Iansyst Ltd with speakers Gill Hudson, Director of Diversity and Inclusion; Mark Woodward, Senior Consultant Workplace Adjustments
• Explore Information processing - reading, writing and concentration– Liam Petit, Matchware
• Sensory sensitivity for neurodiverse colleagues– Aidan Healy, Lexxic
• Mental health in the workplace - Lucy Millard, North East London Foundation Trust

12.45 Round-up and actions plan - Noel Duffy, Chair, Dolphin Computer Access