Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training (DIAT)

"Nothing About Us Without Us"

Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training was developed using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology by directly involving ONLY persons with lived experience. It is also delivered by persons with lived experience.

Who Is Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training For?

The Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training program offered by the Victoria Disability Resource Centre is designed to benefit a wide range of teams and organizations. This training is particularly suited for:

Workplace Teams with Diverse Staff

If your team includes coworkers with disabilities or you’re looking to create a more inclusive and accessible workplace culture, this training is for you. It provides practical tools and knowledge to foster an environment where everyone can thrive, ensuring that team members feel supported, valued, and understood.

Organizations Serving the Public

For staff members who engage with the public, this training equips your team with the confidence and understanding to provide exceptional service to clients or customers with disabilities. Whether you’re in retail, hospitality, healthcare, or another sector, Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training will help your team develop respectful and inclusive practices that meet the needs of all individuals.

Accessibility Committees

If your organization has an Accessibility Committee, this training can help deepen your team’s understanding of disability-related issues and best practices. By increasing knowledge and awareness, committee members will be better equipped to identify barriers, implement meaningful accessibility improvements, and effectively serve the population of persons with disabilities.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committees

For organizations committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, this training is an essential component of any DEI strategy. Disability is a key part of diversity, yet it is often overlooked in equity and inclusion efforts. This training provides committee members with the knowledge and tools to ensure that disability inclusion is meaningfully integrated into workplace policies, hiring practices, and organizational culture.

Why This Training Matters

Creating inclusive and accessible spaces is not only about meeting legal requirements; it’s about demonstrating respect, building community, and recognizing the value of diversity. Our training helps organizations take meaningful steps toward these goals.

Through interactive discussions and practical insights, Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training helps participants develop empathy, challenge biases, and gain a deeper understanding of the barriers faced by people with disabilities, whether they are coworkers or members of the public.

What is Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training?

The training is designed to be interactive, involving participants in discussions that foster a deeper understanding of disabilities and how to support inclusivity in everyday operations. It aims to equip businesses with the knowledge and skills to enhance accessibility and inclusivity for customers and employees alike.

• Introduction to disability: An overview of different types of disabilities and their impact on individuals’ lives, including physical, sensory, cognitive, and invisible disabilities.
• Disability etiquette: Guidelines and best practices for interacting with individuals with disabilities respectfully and inclusively, including appropriate language, communication strategies, and offering assistance.
• Stereotypes and myths: Challenging common stereotypes, misconceptions, and myths surrounding disability, and promoting a more accurate and inclusive understanding of disability.
• Automatic and/or Unintentional Behaviours: Recognizing our own unconscious biases and microaggressions and tips on how to change these unintended habits to make positive changes towards inclusion.
• Communication and language: Effective communication strategies when interacting with individuals with disabilities, including active listening, asking appropriate questions, and using inclusive language.
• Intersectionality: Recognizing that disability intersects with other social identities, such as economic status, race, gender, and sexuality, and understanding the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities from diverse backgrounds.
• Resources and support: Providing information about local resources, support services, advocacy organizations, and assistive technologies that enhance the inclusion and empowerment of individuals with disabilities.

These topics not only address practical aspects of accessibility but also aim to shift the cultural mindset towards a more inclusive approach, making it a valuable program for any organization looking to improve its inclusivity practices.

Delivery Method and Cost

Training is offered virtually or in person and typically runs for approximately three hours, depending on group size. For optimal engagement and meaningful discussion, we recommend a maximum of 25 participants. However, we are happy to work with organizations to accommodate larger groups where possible.

The cost is $495.00 plus 5% GST (we offer a 25% discount to non-profit organizations).

For more information, contact Wendy at director@drcvictoria.com or 250-595-0044 ext. 107

Town of Sidney

“The Disability and Inclusion Awareness sessions were incorporated into our onboarding process between 2024-2026 ensuring that team members began their journey with a strong understanding of inclusivity, accessibility, and respect. By equipping our employees with the knowledge and confidence to better understand diverse needs, these sessions empowered them to provide more thoughtful, responsive, and inclusive service to the public. As a result of this initiative, we are now better positioned to create positive and accessible experiences for everyone we serve and work with.”

What have people learned from this workshop?

“Stereotypes, micro aggression, and previously ‘acceptable’ language are barriers. Also, the use of screen readers and the requirement of web designs to be compatible with these devices are needed to improve accessibility.”

“There seem to be so many more barriers which i was not aware of…awareness and education are key.”

“The example of arenas/movie theatres having designated accessible spots which mean that people who use mobility devices can participate but not alongside their able bodied friends or family is isolating and othering.”

“The discussion/presentation around cultural interactions and differences was particularly useful and was a great reminder of how someone’s background can directly impact the way they communicate with others. That will assist me when I interact with workers and employers.”

“I had a revelation about unconscious bias. Following the Royals affected my knowledge and interpretation of unconscious bias. I am grateful for the workshop for all the information to be able to start to work on that one. I am sure that as I work through that one I will realize more of them.”

“Discussions around different types of accommodation needs by different disabilities was helpful. Acknowledgment of the diversity of needs and choices among PWD was also helpful. The group discussion was useful.”

“Don’t assume, ask! Language – what words to use and not to use or be aware of using. I like put the person “first” not the disability.”

What are people saying about this workshop?

“The knowledge regarding disability awareness and inclusion is necessary to everyone in the society. And Victoria Disability Resource Centre plays an important role to share the invaluable knowledge and insights to me. It absolutely will help me improve my understanding of the situation of persons with disabilities.” Participant, Capital Regional District

“The Victoria Disability Resource Centre’s Disability Inclusion & Awareness Training session went above and beyond our organization’s expectations for how much we managed to learn, how comfortable our participants felt to share and the level of engagement from our leadership and staff. Erin infused a perfect mix of genuine heart and humour into this session. It’s hard to believe the session was three hours as it certainly didn’t feel that way. It has opened up this willingness and motivation among our organization’s leadership to further explore possible accommodations for persons with disabilities be constantly on the lookout for potential barriers. Thank you for a wonderful session!” Participant, Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG)

“I never seen our team this engaged in a session before, so thank you for leading and bringing your stories, insight and creating a safe space for everyone to participate.” Danielle , Code for Canada

“I don’t know if you caught all of the love in the chat, but your session was very well received. Thanks for fostering a safe space and generating some important conversations in our organization.” Kim, Code for Canada

“I am a program coordinator for a Local Non-profit which recently received Disability inclusion and awareness training offered by the Victoria Disability
Resource Center. Our team found this training to be both illuminating and enriching. The facilitators…were knowledgeable, open, and kind. From
this training we learnt so much and have found actionable ways we can make our spaces more inclusive and accessible. Thank you VDRC for offering this
important training, anyone and any organization could benefit from this learning.” ~Nicole Lapierre, Program Coordinator, Victoria Women In Need Community Cooperative

“The training is not only a great refresher on what we might think we already know, but also a reminder of the many things that we don’t know still. I’ve learned a lot about the different disabilities, how to communicate effectively, and appropriate language usage. I even learned about some fun facts about braille and how different people navigate on the streets and even through life. After the training, I am feeling more confident and inspired to be proactive, and I wish that I could carry around a small booklet with me at all times to encapsulate all that I’ve learn today so that I can be knowledgeable & helpful everywhere I go!” ~Participant

“The Disability and Inclusion training provided by…the Victoria Disability Resource Centre will be invaluable to my future interactions. I feel more confident in my knowledge and abilities to help make our facility and programs as inclusive as I can.” ~Participant

“This session brought many issues up in an engaging and approachable way- staff felt safe asking questions and were able to understand disabilities in a deeper way.” ~Participant

“Everyone needs to attend this workshop. Learning how to offer support to folks with disabilities without your biases and judgements coming into play, is an essential skill for anyone aspiring to be an ally.” ~Participant

“The presentation was informative, inclusive and safe. As an individual who can feel uneasy talking about disability, I felt secure in asking questions without judgement.” ~Participant