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Using disability consultants and trainers

All too many consultants, when asked, 'What is 2 and 2?' respond, 'What do you have in mind?' (Norman Ralph Augustine)
Cartoon of one stick person standing in front of a group of stick people - the one in front has a flipchart with an arrow going upwards.

There is lots of information on the web about working with consultants and trainers, basically it boils down to being clear about what you want them to do and then making sure they are the right fit for your organisation.

You need to find someone you can have a real, open conversation with about what you want and need, and who will have the confidence to make their own suggestions.

A few hints below, and some sources for further info.

Get the right match

  • personalities
  • experience
  • specialisms
  • profile – local, regional, national

Take up references

  • where have they worked recently
  • where was work similar to what you need
  • follow them up

Have they got:

  • Professional indemnity insurance
  • Reports from other work you can see
  • VAT registration (implications for budgeting)

Where can you find people:

Now a few links for further reading:

This article focuses on three key ways to get the most out of your relationship with a consultant.
Or you could download a 19 page publication on Choosing and Using Equality and Diversity Consultants and Trainers produced by ECU for the HE sector, but which includes lots of useful stuff
Or the usefully titled Guidelines for Purchasers of Disability Equality Training from Ireland's National Disability Authority