Employers' Forum on Disability NI

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What is EFD NI?

• A not-for-profit organisation
• Formed, managed and funded by employers
• Member employers commit to good disability
  practice
• Almost 80 members from the public, private and
  voluntary sectors
• Covers approximately 20 of the workforce

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How is EFD NI managed?

• President - John West, Head of Business
  Improvement, Ulster Bank Group
• Board of Directors meet quarterly
• Chaired by Alan McCully, Personnel Manager,
  Translink
• Board develops action plans, reviews progress and
  responds to member employers needs
• Takes advice from disability organisations,
  business groups and legal profession

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EFD NI Services

• A tailored one-to-one service for member
  employers and employees, e.g.
• Member has employee with dyslexia
• EFD NI
• liaised with British Dyslexia Association
• contacted employers with similar experience
• identified appropriate professional for
  assessment
• provided details of DEL programmes

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EFD NI Services

• On-line Jobs Bulletin Board
• Disability Mediation Service
• Member-only area of our website
• training materials
• on-line disability awareness briefing
• fact sheets
• Monthly Disability Discrimination Act case law
  update
• Member Network Meetings

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EFD NI Services

• Disability awareness training materials for
  members, e.g.
• Enabled video and guide
• Presentation Material
• DDA Case Studies
• Disability awareness training sessions for
  members, e.g.
• CCMS training for all Head Teachers and Boards of
  Governors Chairs
• NI Policing Board Briefings for volunteers

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EFD NI Services

• Partnership initiatives, e.g.
• DDA Case Law Seminar
• Sensory Impairment Awareness Training
• Recruitment and Retention Seminar
• RNID research with employers
• World of Work Event, e.g. Belfast Health and
  Social Care Trust and Mencap
• Action Mental Health Seminar

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EFD NI Services

• Keeps members up-to-date on disability policies
  and services
• Sign-posts to disability services providers
• Facilitates partnership working between members
• Facilitates sharing of information and resources
  amongst members
• Obtains discounts for members on publications and
  services

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Member ExamplesRecruitment Good Practice

• Ballymena Borough Council - linked with schools,
  colleges and disability training providers to
  offer meaningful, relevant work placements to
  suit a wide range of interests and abilities
• BBC - annual programme for disabled people to
  give experience in media industry
• Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards
  ring fenced Clerical Officer Post, contacted
  The Cedar Foundation, explored placement of a
  suitably qualified person, facilitated disability
  awareness training, at end of placement permanent
  post offered

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Member ExamplesRetention Good Practice

• DETI - surveyed staff to invite requests for
  adjustments, obtain feedback from disabled
  employees, invite suggestions for good disability
  practice, identify barriers
• Translink - employee developed hearing
  impairment, Health and Safety guidelines excluded
  him from job on railway tracks, liaised with
  employee and agreed transfer to ticket kiosk job
• CCMS - due to disability secondary school teacher
  allowed to start work at 10.30 a.m., substitute
  teacher employed to teach earlier classes 

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Member ExamplesStaff Disability Awareness

• NI Policing Board - provided disability
  awareness
• training to all employees
• Senior Personnel - In-depth Legislative
  Obligations and Case Law
• General Staff and Volunteers - Legislative
  Briefing and Disability Awareness Training
• DETI - series of factsheets, e.g. Mental Health
  and
• employment

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Member ExamplesInvolving Staff with Disabilities

• Department of Agriculture and Rural Development -
  
• Disabled Employee Network to facilitate
• Discussion of disability issues
• Undertaking initiatives
• Supported by DARD
• Managed by staff with disabilities