Calendar of Main Events of 2021
- 14 January: Education Authority: Autism Awareness Webinar
- 21 January Education Authority: Dyslexia Awareness Webinar
- 26 January: Mid Ulster Council: Hearing Loss Awareness Webinar
- 30 March: “Food for a Good Mood” Webinar
Calendar of Main Events of 2020
- Stress Less, Translink, 1.5 hr
- EA Launch of Wellbeing Service
- Reasonable Adjustment Seminar, QUB
- 4 x Mental Health and Neurodiversity Seminars for Belfast City Council
- 11 March x 2, Arts Council for NI, General Disability Awareness, 2 x 3 hr
- 12 March, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Mental Health, 2.5 hr
- 15 July: NIE Networks, Learning Disability and Autism, 1 hr
- 9 Sept: NICVA Stress Less, 1 hr
- 14 Sept: QUB Autism Awareness, 1hr
- 22 Sept: NIE Networks, Dyslexia & Dyscalculia, 1hr
- 24 Sept: Consumer Council, Anxiety, Mental Health & Autism, 1.5 hr
- 28 Sept: NICVA Stress Less, 1 hr
- 30 Sept: Consumer Council, Disability Law, Language & Physical Disability, 1.5hr
- 6 Oct: NIE Networks Dyspraxia & AD(H)D, 1hr
- 20 October: Electoral Office for NI, Disability Awareness, 1 hr
- 26 October: Electoral Office for NI, Disability Awareness, 1 hr
- 28 October: Electoral Office for NI, Disability Awareness, 1 hr
- 24 November: Ulster University: Autism, 1 hr
- 3 November: Stress Awareness for Head Injury Support Survivors, 1 hr
- 25 November: Stress Awareness for Head Injury Support Survivors, 2 hrs
- 19 November: General Disability Awareness, Invest NI, 1 hr
- 1 December: Ulster University: Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, 1 hr
- 3 December: AGM, 1 hr
- 8 December: Ulster University, AD(HD) and Dyspraxia, 1 hr
- 9 December: Commissioner for Older People, General Disability Awareness, 2.5 hr
- 10 December: Menopause in the Workplace, 2.5 hr
Calendar of Main Events of 2019
This year has again been extremely busy with staff serving members with tailored sessions to meet their training needs. We have also delivered some to non-members, with 57 sessions in total during 2019:
- 20 x 1.5 hour Disability Briefings, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
- 4 x 1.25 hour Stress Less Workshops, Queen’s University
- 5 hour Autism Awareness seminar, Queen’s University
- 1 hour Stress Less Workshop, Translink
- 5 hour Stress Less workshop, Translink
- 5 x 2 hour Stress Less Workshops, Translink
- 2 x 3.5 hour Disability Awareness seminars, St Mary’s University College
- 2 x 1.5 hour General Disability Awareness seminars, St Mary’s University College
- 2 x 1.5 hour Disability Duties and Good Practice Briefings, Tourism NI
- 5 hour Managing Mental Health in the Workplace Briefing, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
- 5 hour Neurodiversity Awareness Briefing, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
- 1 hour Disability Briefing, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
- 1 hour General Information Session on Employers for Disability NI, NICS Disability Working Group
- 5 hour Autism Awareness Briefing, Education Authority
- 2 hour Disability Duties and Good Practice, SERC
- 1 hour Stress Less workshop, Openreach
- Half day Autism Awareness seminar in conjunction with Novosco
- 25 hour Mental Health briefing with Panic Attacks and Phobias, The Executive Office
- 5 hour Disability in Practice Workshop, Policing Board, staff away day
- 3 x 1.5 hour General Disability Awareness Seminars, WHSCT
- 1 hour Mental Health Awareness seminar, NIO
- 5 hour General Disability Awareness seminar, CCEA
- 5 hour Stress Less workshop, CCEA
- 1 hour General Disability Awareness seminar, Invest NI
- 3 hour Neurodiversity Awareness, Ulster University
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities – event with Belfast City Council
Calendar of Main Events of 2018
Stress and Emotional Resilience Briefing, Translink, 15 May 2018
Stress and Emotional Resilience Seminar, Translink, 30 April 2018
Disability Briefing, Department of Education, 25 April 2018
Dyslexia Awareness, NI Public Ombudsman, 19 April 2018
Stress and Emotional Resilience Briefing, Business in the Community, 18 April 2018
Train the Trainer Seminar, Belfast City Council, 26 March 2018
Stress and Emotional Resilience Briefing, The Executive Office, 23 March 2018
Reasonable Adjustment Seminar, NI Assembly, 23 March 2018
Disability Positive Training and Accreditation, hosted by NI Housing Executive, 20 March 2018
Healthy Lives Conference, Disability Good Practice Workshops, Business in the Community, 15 March 2018
Disability Briefings, Sport NI, 9, 14, 16 and 29 March 2018
Disability Briefings, Western Health and Social Care Trust, Altnagelvin Hospital and Fermanagh and Tyrone Hospital, 7 March 2018
Disability Positive Training and Accreditation, Belfast Harbour, 2 February 2018
MS Awareness Briefing, Rural Community Network (for our member, USEL), Cookstown, 24 January 2018
Disability Awareness and Equality, for Invest NI, in partnership with Dr John Kremer, 17 January 2018
Summary of Main Events of 2017
Three Mental Health Briefings for Mid Ulster Council (29 September, 2 and 10 October)
Two briefings: Disability Duties for South Eastern HSC Trust/Inspire for:
- Ards and North Down Council Area (28 September)
- Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Area (29 September)
Disability Positive Accreditation Seminar and Stress & Emotional Resilience Workshop for Translink (3 October)
Autism Awareness Seminar for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council (4 October)
Stress & Emotional Resilience Workshop and Mental Health for Line Managers for Ulster University (13 and 20 November)
Free Event for Members: Hearing Loss: Enhancing Communication seminar and demonstration (1 December) delivered by 121 Captions open to all members – hosted by BT – email to book
Suicide Awareness Seminar (delivered by Philip McTaggart, Mindskills) – Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council
Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshop – Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council
Managing Mental Health in the Workplace (Managers’ Session) – Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council
Dyslexia Awareness Briefing – Queen’s University
Disability Positive Training and Accreditation – hosted by Translink
Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshop for members: hosted in Equality Commission for NI
Visual Awareness Briefing: Dept of Health
Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshop: Local Government Staff Commission, hosted in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
Autism briefing: Dept of Health
Autism briefing: The Executive Office
NIE Networks: Disability Good Practice Update
Suicide Awareness Seminar for all members (delivered by Philip McTaggart, Mindskills) – Event Info
Champions of Change Programme – Disability Good Practice Speaker
Summary of Main Events 2016
- Stress Awareness & Emotional Resilience for staff – BT (part of an ongoing series for their Staff Wellbeing)
- Sharing Member Good Practice Series – Wellbeing (featuring BT and Shared Reading mental wellbeing initiative)
- Disability Awareness Briefing – (NICVA)
- Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshops – Ulster University
- Dyslexia Briefing – Belfast City Council
- Learning Disability, Mental Health and Dyslexia Seminar – Belfast City Council (Lead Partner Event)
- Launch of Disability Employee Network – Belfast City Council (Lead Partner Event)
- Disability Absence Management Seminar – Translink (Lead Partner Event)
- Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshops – BBC and BT (Lead Partner Events)
- Disability Positive Seminar and Accreditation – Arts Council for NI
- Disability Awareness Seminar – DECAL (series of seminars)
- Disability Awareness Briefing – Western Health and Social Care Trust (series of briefings)
- Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshop – Ulster University (series of seminars)
- Stress Awareness and Emotional Resilience Workshop (hosted by Invest NI) – open to all members
- Organisation of “Every Customer Counts” Conference (Private Sector) – in partnership with Equality Commission for NI
- Presentation on Member Good Practice Case Studies featuring Arts Council for NI and Antrim and Newtownabbey Council) at “Every Customer Count” Conference (Public Sector) – on behalf of Equality Commission for NI
Some of the organisers and speakers at the entertaining and informative event:
Showcasing Disability Event: supported by Local Government Staff Commission for NI
Summary of Main Events 2015
Visual Awareness Training: Thanks to the RNIB for delivering an excellent session and to the Equality Commission NI for hosting.
Arts Council Staff know the benefits of being Disability Positive
Member Accreditation achieved by 11 Members – read
The Dyslexia Awareness Seminarwas a great success. Fantastic information and turnout, hosted by Derry and Strabane Council. Thanks to all involved!

Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, EFDNI, with Mary McLaughlin, Derry and Strabane Council
18 May 2015
Dyslexia Information Session: Thanks to the speakers and our host, Belfast City Council
23 February 2015:
Mindfulness Taster Workshop

Jason Gonzalez from The Happy Warrior and Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Employers for Disability NI, at the Mindfulness Taster Workshop, hosted by our Lead Partner, BT.
29 April 2015:
Equality & Disability Seminar: Thanks to Dr John Kremer who co-delivered a great session with Mags Harkin on 29 April 2015, kindly hosted by Invest NI.
Summary of Main Events 2014
- Work Hear – Deaf Awareness Course, 2, 9, 16 and 23 May
- Making Equality Work Conference, in Belfast City Hall, 9th April 2014 – event flyer
Summary of Main Events 2013
27 March 2013: Autism Awareneness Seminar
26 March 2013: Creating an inclusive and diverse workforce
27 February 2013: Disability Positive Training
17 May 2013: Mental Health Seminar, Equality Commission for N
4 June 2013: Autism Awareness Seminar, Armagh City and District Council
13 June 2013: Titanic Belfast, 2013 Irish News Workplace and Employment Awards
20 June 2013: All About Absence, Legal Island
September – October 2013: Six Week Work Hear Course, deaf awareness/basic sign language course
22 October 2013: Managers Managing Stress
3 December 2013: Managing Reasonable Adjustments and Mental Health Conference
Summary of Main Events 2012
- Reasonable Adjustments in the Workplace, 3 December 2012 – programme
- Dyslexia in the Workplace, 29 Novembner 2012 – programme
- Showcasing Disability Best Practice, 19 September 2012 view details
- Irish News Workplace Employment Awards Gala, Titanic Belfast, Thursday 21 June 2012 – Irish News Workplace Employment Awards Website
- Thanks to Local Government Staff Commission for supporting the Mental Health Disability Awareness Briefing on 3 May 2012 – programme
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Disability Network Launch, 9th March 2012 – programme
Summary of Main Events 2011
Disability Awareness Train the Trainer, Belfast City Council, 15 December 2011
Mental Health Briefing and AGM, 9.30 am – 1.00 pm, 13 September 2011, NICVA, Duncairn Gardens, Belfast (Programme)
Autism Information Briefing, Armagh City and Disctrict Council, 17 October 2011
Visual Awareness Training, University of Ulster, 17 June 2011
Visual Awareness Training, delivered by RNIB and EFDNI, 19 January 2011. Programme
Launch of Employing People with Autism: A brief guide for employers – more details Minister Danny Kennedy MLA with Gavin, who provided his story for the guide
Summary of Main Events 2010
- Disability Awareness Seminar, 9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m., Friday 26 March 2009, NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GB, Programme
- Disability Absence Management Seminar – 21 June 2010
- Seminar for Employees who are Deaf or Have Hearing Loss – 16 August 2010
- Information Session: Employing People with Hearing Loss – Friday 17 September 2010