Disability Awareness

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Disability Awareness
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If we treat everyone as we would like to be
treated ourselves, this world would be a far
happier place to live and work in.
Lancashire County Council
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Disability Discrimination Act, 1995

• From December 1996
• Not to refuse service.
• Not to provide service of a worse standard or in
  a worse manner.
• Not to provide service on less favourable terms.

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Disability Discrimination Act, 1995

• From 1ST October 1999
• reasonable adjustments must be made to
• Change policies, practices and procedures.
• Provide auxiliary aids and services.
• Provide the service by alternative means, if
  premises are inaccessible.
• From 2004, remove physical barriers or provide
  permanent equipment to assist disabled people.

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Exercise

• Treasure Hunt

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Basic rules for Better Communication

• Let Your Face be Seen
• Dont Cover Your Mouth
• Speak Slowly and Clearly
• Rephrase or Write Things Down

Lancashire County Council
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Basic rules for Better Communication

• Be Patient
• Talk Directly to the Person
• Avoid Background Noise
• Introduce Yourself

Lancashire County Council
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Basic rules for Better Communication

• Dont Be Embarrassed
• Eye level Contact
• Concentrate on What is Being
  Said
• Use Simple Language

Lancashire County Council
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Basic rules for Better Communication

• Put Yourself in Their Place
• Treat Like an Adult
• Concentrate on Words, not Looks

Lancashire County Council
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• Services for Disabled People

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Services

• There are three main initiatives / services. Most
  of these services are available through any
  branch library.
• Peoples Centres
• Smile Centres
• Access Service

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People Centres
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In 2003
As a result of a successful bid for 65,000 to
the Peoples Network Excellence Fund
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15 Peoples Centres have been developed
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Morecambe
Lancaster
Thornton
Clitheroe
Poulton
Nelson
Harris
Burnley
St Annes
Accrington
Leyland
Rawtenstall
Ormskirk
Chorley
Skelmersdale
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Our Aim

• Improve Access to Computers

• Develop Life Skills

• Promote Learning

• Promote Reader Development

• Promote Social Inclusion

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Possible Barriers

• Learning Difficulties

• Language Barriers

• Visual Impairment

• Physical Disability

• Cultural Barriers

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Staff
Each Peoples Centre has 2 trained members of
staff
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Why not look at our Website?
www.people.lancashire.gov.uk
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Smile Centres
For young people with additional learning needs,
Smile Centres in 15 libraries provide multi-media
collections, adapted computers and activities

Lancashire County Library/DCMS Wolfson Reader
Development Programme
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SETTING UP OF SMILE

• SCHEME AIMED AT CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS WITH
  SPECIAL NEEDS AND THE PARENTS, CARERS AND
  PROFESSIONALS.
• 15 SMILE CENTRES BASED IN LIBRARIES ACROSS
  LANCASHIRE.

Lancashire County Library/DCMS Wolfson Reader
Development Programme
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WHY SMILE
OCIAL INCLUSION
OTIVATION
SMILE
NFORMATION
ITERACY
FFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Lancashire County Library/DCMS Wolfson Reader
Development Programme
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SMILE CENTRE COLLECTIONS
ALL COLLECTIONS INCLUDE ITEMS FROM

• MAKATON
• BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE
• AUDIO-DESCRIBE VIDEOS
• BRAILLE BOOKS
• TACTILE BOOKS
• LARGE PRINT BOOKS
• INFORMATION AND LOTS MORE

Lancashire County Library/DCMS Wolfson Reader
Development Programme
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SMILE STAFF/TRAINING
EACH SMILE CENTRE HAS 2 FULLY TRAINED MEMBERS OF
STAFF
TRAINING PACKAGE 3 FULL DAYS.
PART 1 CUSTOMER CARE PART 2 STOCK
SELECTION PART 3 ENQUIRY PROCEDURES/HOW TO
PROMOTE AND PUBLISE THE SCHEME.
Lancashire County Library/DCMS Wolfson Reader
Development Programme
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READER/LEARNING DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

• Story times
• Activities and Events for all young people
• Class visits for all schools
• Opportunities for parents to meet other parents
• Information for carers and families
• details of organisations to support young people
  who have extra learning needs

Lancashire County Library/DCMS Wolfson Reader
Development Programme
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Access to Services Group
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The Role of the ASG

• Is to look at how we can remove the barriers to
  using the service, by researching the needs of
  the target groups. And sharing best practice
  through The Network - an organisation which
  promotes social inclusion for libraries, museums
  and archives.

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Aims to

• Achieve social inclusion in libraries
• Identify and resolve practical problems
• Communicate with staff
• Develop guidance for staff
• Target potentially excluded groups
• Promote the service

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Strategies to achieve social inclusion

• Research
• Consultation
• Partnerships
• Devise action plan
• Provision of materials
• Innovative solutions
• Targeting and promoting
• Effective communication

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Staff guidance and communication

• Training programmes
• Induction training
• The Loop and divisional newsletters
• The Intranet
• Emails including Power point updates
• DDA information packs

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Exercise

• Group discussion