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Course Details
Training Brochure (PDF 137kb) | Training Brochure (Word 51kb)
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (1 day)
People with disability have long been treated as invisible, experienced human rights violations and excluded from full participation in society. Despite the emergence of a number of human rights conventions internationally as well as domestic legislations that offer considerable potential to protect the rights of people with disability in the 20th century, people with disability have continued to be marginalised and have their human rights denied.
The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) came in response to this recognition, clearly identifying the rights of people with disability and creating obligations for States parties to the Convention to promote, protect and uphold these rights. Australia became a party to the Convention in 2008 and acceded to the Optional Protocol in 2009 and as a result is bound by the principles and obligations set forth in them to ensure that the rights of people with disability are guaranteed. Yet relatively little understanding exists of the key rights defined in the Convention and the extent to which the denial or infringement of even one right can impact on the ability to lead an inclusive life and the enjoyment of basic human rights. Similarly, there is little knowledge of the avenues of recourse available to ensure that rights are upheld.
This training provides a comprehensive introduction to the CRPD. It discusses the background and the development of the convention, looking at disability from a human rights context. It then guides participants in detail through the rights enshrined in the Convention, the practicalities of upholding these rights and how to make a complaint under the CRPD.
Learning Objectives:
- To gain understanding of the historical context of the development of the Convention.
- To provide information about what the adoption of the Convention means for countries party to it, such as Australia.
- To recognise the key rights of people with disability as set out in the convention, the interdependence of these rights and the challenge of implementing these rights.
- To raise awareness of the complaints process open to individuals under the Convention.
- To assist participants in recognising how they can apply the principles in the Convention in the workplace and society.
Responding to Sexual Assault (2 days)
People with disability have the same rights as every individual in the community to be free of and protected from abuse. These rights are strongly represented in legislation at international, national and state levels.
Despite these protective measures, reality is that people with disability experience much higher rates of sexual assault - many will have experienced repeated incidences of sexual assault by the time they are 18, with people with an intellectual disability especially vulnerable. Sexual assault is most likely perpetrated at locations where the victim is as a direct result of their disability (home, residential support, institution, day program, etc.) and by people who they depend on for support.
Effective response to sexual assault in turn is hampered by outdated myths surrounding sexuality, sexual assault and people with disability. These deeply and sometimes unconsciously embedded myths have profound effects on attitudes and help perpetuate varying levels of denial that exist regarding the sexual assault of people with intellectual disability. As a result, often clear indicators of sexual assault are ignored and/or response to disclosure is inadequate. The vulnerability of victims of sexual assault is not addressed and they remain in environments that are unsafe, continuing to share spaces with their assaulters.
This practical 2-day course is essential for anyone working with people with intellectual disability. It debunks the myths surrounding sexual assault and builds understanding of how people with intellectual disability experience it. It takes participants through their obligations and equips them with a toolkit of strategies they can use to support victims of sexual assault as well as decrease vulnerability through capacity-building of people with intellectual disability and helping to create safer environments for them.
Learning Objectives:
- To enable staff working with people with intellectual disability to gain an understanding of sexual assault focusing on their client group.
- To provide the information needed by staff to respond appropriately to cases of sexual assault including information on legislation, services available, rights of persons with intellectual disability and ways to respond supportively.
- To recognise the indicators and effects of sexual assault and offender behaviour.
- To assist staff to explore attitudes and concerns which impact upon people with intellectual disability who may have been victimised sexually.
- To identify ways of responding to disclosures within a casework framework.
Disability Awareness
An introductory course on disability awareness. This is a flexible training package made up of core and optional supplementary modules. Core modules explore the concept of disability, its definitions and the myths and facts surrounding it, as well as respectful language and communication. Supplementary modules include components customised to the needs of your organisation to incorporate information, case scenarios and examples applicable to your work.
Learning objectives
Core modules:
- To gain better understanding of what disability is.
- To identify entrenched myths and misconceptions surrounding disability and people with disability.
- To recognise how these misconceptions translate into everyday language and what respectful communication involves.
Supplementary modules:
- To enable participants to familiarise themselves with possible situations they may encounter with people with disability specific to their workplace.
- To build capacity of participants to engage and deal respectful with people with disability in such situations.
People with Disability Australia training is also available as in-house training sessions.
Costs: 1 day: $1500 (ex GST) | 2 days: $3000 (ex GST)
All training outside the Sydney metropolitan area is subject to travel and accommodation costs.
Customised training:
In addition to our training packages, PWD is happy to discuss the development of specific training. PWD has extensive experience in the development and delivery of professional training with special expertise in the areas of disability and human rights as well as responding to abuse and neglect. We also have a longstanding successful track record in conducting trainings aimed at reducing the vulnerability of people with disability to abuse and neglect and providing tools for building their capacity to protect themselves.
To discuss your training needs or to book training, please contact the PWD Training Unit:
Telephone: (02) 9370 3100
Email: training@pwd.org.au
Website: www.pwd.org.au/training.html
Recent PWD Publications
The E-Bulletin is a source of PWD's internal news and developments in the disability sector at the state, national and international levels. It goes out to members and interested others regularly by email.
PWD E-bulletin #62, June 2010
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Last updated 11 January 2012