Clients

The All Abilities Abroad project provided a platform for four Lifetime Support Scheme participants to mitigate the negative impact on self-esteem and self-reliance from an acquired brain injury and disability.

They did this by travelling to Tonga to share their skills and knowledge across capacity gap areas identified by a Tongan partner organisation, Naunau ​‘o e ​‘Alamaite Tonga Association Inc (NATA).

The four participants spent 25 days in Nuku’alofa, Tonga exchanging skills, stories and experiences with NATA staff and members, and with people with and without disability in the local community. 

Three key factors influenced the project’s peer-to-peer model: the relationships developed, the cross-cultural insights and the individual growth of the participants. 

“I really got a lot from this training. I will have lots to think about in terms of posts for our new website.”

This statement is one of many we received from 74 Relationships Australia Northern Territory staff who completed Maven’s online disability awareness training. 

The online training’s success is testament to the flexibility and adaptability of Maven’s staff, who pivoted to online training modalities and remained committed to raising awareness about the importance of disability inclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Results

• 97% of participants found the training to be valuable 
• 97% of participants claimed to have learned something new 
• 96% thought the training worked well in an online format
• 85% of participants gave the training an overall rating of ⁸⁄₁₀ or higher.

The sessions covered a broad range of topics to give participants a full understanding of disability inclusion. 

208 Relationships Australia Western Australia staff completed Maven’s online disability awareness training between March and June 2020.

All participants completed a pre-training survey about their understanding and perception of disability. The responses enabled Maven staff to create tailored training sessions.

In evaluating the effectiveness of the training: 

• 99% of participants found the training valuable
• 96% learnt something new
• 94% of participants found the the training worked well in an online format.

The most valued sessions included those on inspiration porn, disability language and communication skills. 

Participants particularly valued hearing the perspectives of people with lived experience of disability in the training. ​“I found that their perspective as people who have been impacted by disability has added a great deal to this,” said one participant. 

Maven conducted an accessibility and inclusion technology and computer service assessment for an ABC International Development employee with a disability.

To do this, Maven’s disability inclusion adviser established rapport with the employee through talking about their lived experience of a similar disability and the types of accessibility technology that assists them to participate fully in work. 

Following the Maven assessment, a report was generated listing the key recommendations for reasonable adjustments and technology to support the employee in their role. 

“The report will enable us to move forward and make a decision about what equipment our staff member needs,” said the ABC ID Project Manager.

After taking part in Maven’s two day disability awareness training, 22 RASA staff increased their confidence in working with people with disability by an average of 4 points. 100% of participants rated the training as 8 out of 10 or higher.

Maven delivered tailor-made disability awareness training on how to create services and a workplace that is inclusive and accommodating towards people with disability. 

Topics covered included: 

• Disability language
• Communication skills
• Concept of ​‘Help’
• Easy English
• Abuse, neglect and trauma 
• Models of disability 
• Access and inclusion checks and solutions 
• Inspiration porn

Most sessions were facilitated by Maven staff with lived experience of disability. This enabled the participants to gain first-hand understanding of the barriers faced by people with disability in the workplace and when accessing services. Participant testimonials in the post-training evaluation indicated that this was a key strength of Maven’s training.