Setting up your Accessibility Working Group or Employee Resource Group for Success

Course Description

At OHAC, we believe that Accessibility Working Groups (AWGs) and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a vital role within a company by fostering an inclusive workplace culture that values and supports employees with disabilities. It provides a platform for raising awareness, sharing lived experiences, and identifying barriers that may hinder full participation.

The course aims to empower Disability ERGs and AWGs by providing the right tools to advocate for accessible policies, technologies, and environments. The ERG helps drive meaningful change, enhances employee engagement, and supports the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and AWGs are facilitators to ensure that Accessibility, Disability Inclusion and Universal Design are truly embedded within organisations.

The course will also allow AWGs and ERGs to explore their attitude to disability and understand how they can promote inclusivity across their organisation.

We will cover the following topics:

• Overview of disability awareness – Universal Design, legislative requirements, accessible communication & barriers faced by all people regardless of age, size or disability.
• Measuring accessibility against standards.
• What good practice looks like.
• Practical ways to create a disability inclusive workplace for colleagues and customers.
• Developing inclusive policies and practices.
• Fostering a culture of inclusion.
• Understanding the role of the Access Working Group and Employee Resource Groups to support real change within the organisation.

*Please note that the training sessions will take place in September. Specific days and times will be announced soon.

Course Aims

This course empowers Accessibility Working Groups (AWGs) and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to lead organisational change. It focuses on embedding disability inclusion and Universal Design into company culture through advocacy and practical strategy.

Participants will explore disability awareness, legislative requirements, and methods for measuring accessibility against global standards. The curriculum covers:

• Developing inclusive policies and workplace practices.
• Identifying and removing barriers for colleagues and customers.
• Fostering a culture of shared lived experiences.

By providing the tools to advocate for accessible technologies and environments, this course ensures that DEI commitments translate into meaningful, systemic impact.

Key Outcomes

Participants who attend the course will:

• Identify barriers faced by people with disabilities, how to remove these barriers and methods to make services accessible for all.
• Develop an understanding of accessible communications (written, spoken, signed, and digital) and how to build inclusive communities within the organisation.
• Develop an awareness of good practice and identify practical measures to create more accessible workplaces.
• Understand the role of the Accessibility Working Group and Employee Resource Group to support real change and influence change within their organisation.
• Identify and understand key accessibility criteria to allow effective change within the workplace for all.
• Identify the next steps to ensure continuous enhancements are made within their organisation to create a fully disability inclusive workplace.

Application Instructions