Mobile revolution makes disabled people more appealing as employees

A leading telecommunications expert has found that the telecommunications revolution has made disabled people more ‘appealing’ to employers. In a new report, entitled ‘Digitising the Disabled Billion: Accessibility gets Personal’, the reports states that technology is increasingly able to draw a large portion of the world’s one billion disabled people into the digital work revolution.

Mobile communications devices are removing the barriers (whether perceived or real) to disabled people using facilities and systems, increasing communication and interaction. Mainstream apps are also becoming more accessible, improving the digital lifestyle of many disabled people.

 

National Apprenticeship Week

This week is National Apprenticeship Week, celebrating the positive impact apprentices can have on businesses across the UK. Disability Rights UK has produced a guide to apprenticeships for disabled people, called Into Apprenticeships.

The guide deals with common questions such as where to find suitable apprenticeships and whether training and support is available. It is also a platform for disable people to talk about their experiences and the challenges they faced. The guide costs £3.99 and can be downloaded here.

 

Prime minister in hot water over inaccessible office

David Cameron has come under fire again, in what is proving to be a tricky election run up, this time for an alleged breach of the UN convention with his inaccessible constituency office. Cameron has been labelled a ‘hypocrite’ after it was discovered that the office in High Street, Witney, has no lift to the first floor.

Cameron was exposed by the Disability News Service for publicly calling for more to be done to improve disabled access whilst not taking care to ensure he had made the required improvements to his own building. Although it should be pointed out that he does hold surgeries in other, more accessible premises. As part of the Convention of the Rights for Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), buildings are obliged to be accessible to people with disabilities and have the necessary safety measures, such as evac chairs, to ensure everybody is safe.

There’ll be another news round up next month, so see you then.