Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center: When identifying opportunities for skills development.
Should bear in mind that each individual has his/her own particular interests, talents and abilities.
Girls and boys, women and men should be given equal opportunities for training that are not limited to traditional gender roles and segregation.
Women and girls with disabilities may need additional support to take up training opportunities.
The maximum choice of options should be given and these should not be based on preconceived ideas of what the individual is capable of doing.
Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center: https://twitter.com
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1. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
People with disabilities need skills to engage in livelihood activities.
But they start with a number of disadvantages.
Their families and communities may assume that they are unable to engage in such activities.
They often lack access to basic education, making them unqualified to join skills training courses.
These disadvantages frequently result in a lack of skills.
As well as low confidence, expectations and achievement.
2. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The Vocational Training/Skills Acquisition unit targets people with special needs.
Including the Blind and visually impaired, physically and mentally challenged, the deaf and mute, orphans and widows.
Majority of these people do not have basic education or any skills to earn money to survive in the society.
Hence leading to extreme poverty and resorting to begging on the streets.
However the educated ones are not able to compete with their peers in the setting of low employment rates in Nigeria.
This business intends to use its activities to change the negative attitude of society.
Towards people with special needs by empowering them with these skills.
Which will enable them integrate successfully into the society and be financially independent.
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3. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
Different types of skills are required for successful work.
They include foundation skills acquired through education and family life, technical and professional skills.
Which enable a person to undertake a particular activity or task.
Business skills required to succeed in self-employment and core life skills.
Including attitudes, knowledge and personal attributes.
4. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
Most employers in the public and private sectors are not very willing to hire people with disabilities.
In 2012, the Foundation established a skills acquisition/vocational training and empowerment programme to enable these individuals.
Who are otherwise very talented and smart but due to physical or financial challenges are not as educated or financially stable.
Or able to compete with their peers in the job market, acquire needed skills.
And boost their confidence and self-esteem.
And in turn make them more marketable to prospective employers.
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5. Get the departments
- Computer Literacy
- Catering and Fast Food
- Fashion/Textile Tailoring and Designing
- Shoe and Bag Making
- Bead-Making and Wire Works
- Hair /Barbing and Beauty Salon
- Musical Band Training
- Cosmetology
- Paint Making
- Radio /TV and phone Repairs.
6. Get the basic roles
The role is to enable people with disabilities to access work opportunities.
By actively promoting and facilitating the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes.
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7. Know the desirable outcomes
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Youth and adults with disabilities have access to a range of training opportunities and acquire marketable skills, decent work (waged employment or self-employment) and income.
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Girls and women with disabilities have equal opportunities for skills development with boys and men.
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Mainstream providers of vocational and skills training have policies and practices that ensure people with disabilities have access to the training provided.
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People with disabilities have access to support services -vocational guidance, placement services, assistive devices and adapted equipment.
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People with disabilities have access to advanced skills development opportunities required to progress in their work.
Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
8. Know the core life skills curriculum
The core life skills curriculum covers three areas: developing personal skills, developing coping mechanisms, developing fitness for a job.
Personal skills include self-esteem, personality development.
Positive thinking, motivation, goal-setting, problem-solving, decision-making.
Time management and stress management.
Coping mechanisms include how to deal with: sexuality, shyness.
Loneliness, depression, fear, anger, HIV/AIDS, alcoholism, failure, criticism, conflict and change.
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Fitness for a job includes leadership, team work, career guidance and the work environment.
Core life skills are taught in three ways:
(a) through a timetable and activities which emphasize early rising.
Personal and environmental cleanliness, punctuality.
Responsibility, leadership and concern for others;
(b) through the example of centre staff;
(c) through weekly classes.
Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
9. Get the basic skills
Foundation skills are those acquired through basic education and family life. They include, for example, literacy, numeracy, ability to learn, reasoning and problem-solving. These types of skills are needed for work everywhere, in all contexts and cultures, in both formal and informal economies.
Technical, vocational and professional skills are those which equip someone to undertake a particular task – how to produce or repair something, or provide some kind of service. Examples are carpentry, tailoring, weaving, metalwork, lathe operation, basket making, tinsmithing, shoemaking. More advanced technical skills, such as engineering, medicine, physiotherapy and computer technology, are normally referred to as professional skills. Generally the more advanced the techniques, the higher the educational level required and the more formal the training, often taking place in technical institutions and resulting in formal certification of competence.
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Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
Business skills (also called entrepreneurial skills) are those required to succeed in running a business activity. They include money and people management, as well as planning and organizational skills. They also include risk assessment, market analysis and information-gathering, business plan preparation, goal-setting and problem-solving. These skills usually require a basis of numeracy and literacy.
Training courses which teach trades likely to lead to self-employment, such as carpentry, radio repairs, two-wheel motor mechanics and weaving, have an obligation to teach business skills alongside the technical skills.
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Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
Core life skills consist of the attitudes, knowledge and personal attributes necessary to function in the world. They include: how to relate to customers, how to present oneself, learning how to learn, effective listening and communication, creative thinking and problem-solving, personal management and discipline, interpersonal and social skills, the ability to network and work in a team, and work ethics.
Core life skills are required by everybody, whether disabled or not, to succeed in both life and work. But they assume a particular importance for people with disabilities because they contribute to acquiring self-confidence and developing self-esteem, relating to other people and changing perceptions of oneself and of others.
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Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
Core life skills are learned and formed through interaction within the family and the community and are reinforced in education (both formal and non-formal), vocational training, youth and community development programmes and work.
Confidence comes through developing positive attitudes, acquiring relevant knowledge and learning the skills to deal successfully with life and work. If a training programme focuses only on technical skills and neglects the development of attitudes, knowledge and life skills, it is unlikely to succeed in enabling its trainees to find sustainable work and employment.
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10. Know the ways to acquire the skills
There are a number of ways by which people with disabilities can learn and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to earn their livelihood. They include:
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self-effort;
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home-based skills acquisition within the family;
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basic education;
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vocational training in schools;
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community-based training, including formal or informal apprenticeships with individuals in the community;
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training in mainstream vocational training centres or vocational rehabilitation centres;
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on-the-job training or apprenticeship;
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training courses at college and university;
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participation in small-enterprise development programmes that include basic business skills training, business development services and mentoring;
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training by employers.
The choice of the most appropriate method of skills development depends upon the interests.
Capabilities and resources of the individual.
As well as the opportunities and support available in his/her community.
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11. Learn to Promote the training
Many young people learn so-called traditional vocational and life skills through home-based activities.
Where knowledge, skills and attitudes are passed on from parents, siblings and other family members.
Home-based “learning-by-doing” is fundamental in preparing a person to learn further skills for a livelihood.
12. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
However, children and young people with disabilities and people with severe and multiple disabilities.
Are often excluded from this learning-by-doing process.
Because of preconceived ideas held by parents and family members about what the child.
Or young person can and cannot do.
Parents may be motivated by wanting to protect their disabled child from harm.
Or they may believe their child is unable to learn or contribute to the household.
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Or they may simply discourage, neglect or ignore him/her.
As a result the child with disability is unable to learn useful skills.
And is prevented from making a contribution to the household or family enterprise.
This exclusion undermines the person’s self-confidence.
Affecting his/her active participation in the family and community.
The programmes can play an important role in helping parents.
Understand the potential of a family member with a disability to learn skills.
So that he/she can contribute to the household in a productive way.
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Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
13. Know the Possible activities:
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identify ways in which the person with disability can be involved in livelihood or support tasks around the home;
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encourage family members to teach and pass on skills that will be useful, add to and enable inclusion in productive household activities;
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follow up on the level of participation of the individual with a disability in household and livelihood activities.
14. Enable access to basic education opportunities
Basic education is a key to success in all types of work.
It provides the foundation for developing or upgrading technical skills and acquiring life skills.
In order to assist people with disabilities to effectively prepare for and engage in a livelihood.
The programmes should promote access to formal and non-formal educational opportunities as a major priority.
The programmes can also facilitate the transition from school to work by arranging apprenticeships and on-the-job training opportunities.
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15. Facilitate participation in vocational training
Secondary schools sometimes offer vocational education courses.
As well as vocational assessment and career guidance and counselling.
Students with disabilities should have an opportunity to enrol in such vocational courses.
And benefit from career guidance services.
They should also have an opportunity to benefit from transition programmes for youth from school to work.
The programmes should explore such possibilities at local secondary schools.
And facilitate the participation of students and young people with disabilities.
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16. Know the Possible activities:
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identify and overcome barriers that hinder the participation of students with disabilities in secondary school vocational training and transition-to-work programmes;
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provide support to students with disabilities to facilitate their participation in training and educational programmes;
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provide disability-awareness training to training-course instructors on the arrangements and adaptations required by trainees with different types of disabilities.
17. Encourage training in the community
It is important to identify skills development opportunities in the local community first.
There are two likely possibilities: existing mainstream training and local persons engaged in a production or service activity who can teach people with disabilities their skills as apprentices.
To arrange for training by a local person already engaged in the production of needed goods or services.
The programmes should first identify individuals with disabilities who are anxious to learn a skill, then:
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discuss with the person and his/her family their interests, whether they have existing skills and what family support is already available;
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provide information on jobs and job training;
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identify locally a person who is already engaged in that occupation or providing training and encourage them to take on an apprentice who has a disability;
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suggest products or services that could be produced or provided to meet local demand;
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identify and find solutions to potential obstacles to the individual becoming an apprentice, including cost, access, mobility, required support (transport, sign language interpreter, assistive devices);
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where appropriate, provide financial or material support to the master trainer and any necessary support to the apprentice;
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follow up with the master trainer and trainee to ensure that learning and training are taking place and help overcome any problems that may arise;
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upon successful completion of the training, arrange for the provision of assistance to the trainee to start his/her own activity.
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Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
18. Find the vocation
You should initiated a system of vocational skills training in its the programme.
In targeted rural communities, youth and adults with disabilities were identified.
Their vocational interests determined and master trainers in the community contacted.
And encouraged to take one or more apprentices with disabilities for a 1–2 year period.
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19. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
As an incentive, the programme should provided each master trainer with materials to use for both training and production.
A variety of master trainers participated in the scheme.
Including bakers, tailors, tinsmiths, carpenters, metalworkers.
Bicycle repairers and women engaged in tie-dye and knitting.
Selected master trainers should be invited to upgrade their own skills.
Through participation in training courses offered by a vocational rehabilitation centre.
Operated by the programme. Some of the trainees started their own activities upon completion of their apprenticeship.
While others should be employed by their trainers.
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20. Assist with the development of business skills
Self-employment in a small business in the informal economy may be a viable income-generating option for many people with disabilities.
If an individual chooses this option, it is essential that he or she undergoes appropriate business-skills training.
Small-enterprise development training programmes are found in most countries, often linked to microfinance schemes.
The programmes need to identify available training courses locally and raise the awareness of those running them about the potential of persons with disabilities as entrepreneurs.
With programme managers and trainers, they can develop ways in which individuals with different types of disabilities can participate.
The programmes can also help to overcome any obstacles to the participation of individuals with disabilities by providing support (transport, sign language interpretation, materials) as required.
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Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
21. Facilitate training in mainstream institutions
Skills development by people with disabilities is more effective.
When it takes place in an inclusive environment – training together with nondisabled peers.
Training in mainstream vocational training institutions usually offers a greater choice of skills training opportunities.
Access to newer technologies and equipment, formal certification upon completion of training and career guidance, and job placement assistance.
Formal vocational training centres are often located in towns and cities and are geared to the skills needs of larger urban enterprises.
But there are also many local government, nongovernmental organization, community-operated and private vocational training centres.
In rural areas with courses that provide useful training in technical and core life skills.
22. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The programmes should promote access to mainstream training opportunities in vocational training centres for people with disabilities.
Who usually face barriers in enrolling in such mainstream training institutions.
Barriers include: high academic entry requirements; inaccessible buildings and classrooms.
High tuition fees and training costs; lack of adaptive aids and equipment.
Lack of a policy that supports the training of people with disabilities.
And lack of awareness, confidence and experience of mainstream trainers in teaching trainees with disabilities.
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23. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The programmes can encourage people with disabilities to apply for training in vocational training centres by, for example:
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publicizing the availability of places for trainees with disabilities to local schools, disabled people’s organizations, parents’ associations, nongovernmental organizations, women’s and youth organizations;
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raising the awareness of parents, community groups and others concerning the importance of vocational skills training for people with disabilities;
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supporting trainees with disabilities in applying for enrolment and for financial aid.
24. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The programmes can encourage and facilitate vocational training centres.
And courses to increase access for people with disabilities.
Listed below are some examples of what these centres can be encouraged to do.
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Adopt an enrolment policy that sets a specific target number of women and men with disabilities to be enrolled at each intake.
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Set flexible entry requirements.
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Provide remedial basic education courses.
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Provide guidance on various skills development options to trainees with disabilities, avoiding disability and gender-based stereotypes.
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Provide disability-awareness training to instructors and provide fact sheets on the special needs of trainees with different types of disabilities.
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Determine accessibility and adaptation needs of individual trainees, e.g. trainees using wheelchairs may be easily integrated if training courses are on the ground floor and toilet facilities are accessible.
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Arrange for support during the training to assist trainees with disabilities to succeed and to help instructors and trainees resolve any difficulties that may arise.
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25. Encouraging earning and saving
The Ibadan Community-based Vocational Rehabilitation programme (CBVR) in Nigeria for example, involved representatives of various disabled people’s organizations.
Relatives of people with disabilities, community elders, development nongovernmental organizations.
Representatives of financial institutions and federal and state government officials.
Sensitization campaigns were held in target communities to encourage people with disabilities to register for skills training.
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A screening process assessed their capabilities, their vocational interests and the level of family support available to them. Selected participants were enrolled in local vocational training centres.
While in training the trainees received a training allowance from the Programme.
Courses ranged from 6 to 12 months and included carpentry, shoemaking and repairing.
Poultry-keeping, tie and dye textile production and food catering.
26. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
Encourage beneficiaries to save a portion of their allowance by assisting them to open savings accounts.
Upon graduation, most of the trainees utilized their savings.
To purchase items needed to support their income-generating activities.
During its first 10 years of operation, over 200 trainees received training.
And many graduates became trainers in the Programme.
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27. Facilitate training in specialized institutions
Where skills training in mainstream centres is not possible, special training centres for people with disabilities.
Can offer valuable vocational and life skills training.
As well as useful work experience through practical production activities.
28. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The main disadvantage of such centres is that they segregate rather than encourage inclusion.
And perpetuate the idea that people with disabilities cannot be integrated into mainstream training centres or the economy.
But this need not be the case. Successful special training centres work to break down the barriers between them and the surrounding community.
With qualified personnel experienced in training people with disabilities.
They can become resource centres for ideas and training of staff in other training centres and in the community.
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29. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The programmes can assist in ensuring that the training provided in special centres is more appropriate and relevant to the local community by helping the centre to:
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identify unmet demand for the production of goods and provision of services in the community;
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upgrade the curriculum, tools and equipment used in training courses, in consultation with local enterprises;
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increase the number and variety of courses offered;
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provide training not only in technical skills but also in business management and life skills;
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provide support to trainees who have successfully completed their training in finding work or becoming self-employed;
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raise funds for new courses and equipment or for the expansion of the centre.
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30. Provide hands-on training
The programme should provides training to deaf trainees in traditional trades – carpentry, metalwork and motor mechanics for boys.
Handicrafts, embroidery and rug weaving for girls.
But the way they are taught and their relation with outside markets are not traditional.
The workshops face the street, not the school.
The car-body repair and motor mechanics shops are set up like other workshops where people can bring their vehicles to be repaired.
Trainees relate directly to customers so customers get used to dealing with deaf people.
And trainees learn how to deal with customers and the realities of business.
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31. Disabilities Skills Acquisition Center
The programme should demonstrates that it is possible to combine skills training with production for sale.
The carpentry workshop has contracts to make school and office furniture.
The metal workshop designs and produces sheep handling equipment for dipping, weighing and vaccinating sheep.
The sewing, embroidery and rug weaving products appeal to tourists.
The school has identified tourism as a key target area for both its products.
And its graduates and has established a sales outlet for some of its products in the country.
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Conclusion:
I think it is a matter of handlers helping young people set their priorities right.
And embracing the principle of doing one thing at a time in their order of importance.
A lot will depend on the handlers’ knowledge, skills and attitude.
To ensure that the young ones are not overwhelmed or abused, as a result of learning skills.”