By understanding disability and making the necessary changes in your organisation, you will:
- attract and retain able staff
- increase staff morale and productivity
- use resources more effectively
- attract more customers
- meet the requirements of inspection bodies
- meet legal requirements
Exceptional Trainers and Consultants
All our trainers and consultants are disabled people who combine expertise in their subject with lived experience. They have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the barriers faced by disabled people and how these may be removed. Whether working with managers on strategy and policy, or delivering training to customer services staff, our trainers use engaging, thought provoking methods, which lead to action.
Satisfied Customers
We work successfully with a wide range of organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors. We have also developed innovative training in independent living for disabled people and value our work with disabled people’s organisations.
‘the approach is more proactive and makes you aware of the real issues’
‘very informative and practical’
‘very professional day, well organised and presented’
‘lots of food for thought. I feel the need to go back to my organisation and ensure that other key officers are fully aware and trained on disability issues’
‘the best single day of training I have had in 30 years of local government’
Satisfied customers include:
- Audit Commission
- BBC
- Birmingham City Council
- Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP)
- Deeside College
- Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE)
- Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
- Merseyside Police Authority
- NHS Liverpool Primary Care Trust
- NHS North West Strategic Health Authority
- Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
- University of Salford
Breakthrough UK at the Cutting Edge
Breakthrough UK is at the cutting edge of strategy on disability at local, regional and national level. In recent years we have contributed to the following:
- Government White Paper on the Commission for Equality and Human Rights
- ‘Able to Work’ report from the Employer’s Working Group on Disability subgroup of the National Employment Panel
- ‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’ report from the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit
- Local Strategic Partnerships
- Local Authority disability advisory groups
We are represented on the following bodies:
- Disability Employment Advisory Committee (DEAC) at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- National Employment Panel
- North West Equality and Diversity Leadership Group
Why We Do Disability Action Training Rather Than Disability Awareness
Many of our customers contact us about disability awareness training. We believe that traditional disability awareness training is not as effective as our approach, which we call Disability Equality Action Training. Once our 
customers have experienced our training, they agree.
Disability Awareness Training:
- is aimed at increasing the confidence of non-disabled staff when providing services to disabled people.
- is often delivered by non-disabled people.
- often concentrates on one impairment, such as visual impairment or hearing impairment.
- often involves simulation exercises, such as using blindfolds or ear defenders.
Awareness training does not challenge assumptions and attitudes, which is necessary to support a fully inclusive culture within organisations. Concentrating on impairments rather than barriers may lead participants to believe that disabled people are prevented from doing things by impairment rather than lack of inclusive planning in society. Simulation exercises may encourage stereotypical assumptions.
Thanks to Jane Placca for the photo above.
Disability Action Training:
- is delivered by disabled people
- includes issues such as etiquette, customer care and use of appropriate language.
- encourages discussion of how disabled people are disabled by attitudes and
- barriers present in society.
- enables participants to identify barriers and positively demonstrate what an organisation needs to do remove them.
- is underpinned by the Social Model of disability.
The former Disability Rights Commission recommended that training on disability should be from the perspective of the Social Model of disability. Using simulation techniques means that the emphasis is still on the Medical Model.
The Disability Equality Duty (DDA 2005)
The Disability Equality Duty (DED) is the most recent part of the Disability Discrimination Act and came into force in December 2006. The DED requires public sector bodies to promote the equality of disabled people. This means that people working for organisations such as local authorities, hospitals, schools and the police will be required by law to consider how their work affects disabled people and to take action to tackle any inequality.
What must public sector bodies do?
- When carrying out their duties public authorities should pay ‘due regard’ to the need to:
- eliminate unlawful disability discrimination
- eliminate disability-related harassment
- promote equality of opportunity for disabled people
- promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
- encourage the participation of disabled people in public life
Many public bodies also have to produce a Disability Equality Scheme which sets out how they intend to meet the five duties above. The Disability Equality Scheme must contain a three-year action plan together with information on how the organisation intends to measure the impact its activities have on disabled people. Disabled people must be involved on an ongoing basis in identifying and prioritising barriers and issues to be addressed by public organisations. Disability Equality Schemes must be made public and progress in relation to action plans must be reported annually.
Any member of the public can apply to the courts for judicial review of any organisation in breach of the duty. Failure to act in accordance with a compliance notice issued by a court could ultimately result in the Chief Executive facing prison.
Breakthrough UK Training and Consultancy is supporting a number of public sector organisations in relation to the Disability Equality Duty.
