90% Disability Awareness Training Grant for the Private Sector
Did you know there is a government rebate scheme called the Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS) which will reimburse private sector employers 90% of the cost of disability awareness training?
The Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS) is a scheme whereby private sector employers that provide disability awareness training for staff can utilise a grant which will cover almost the entire cost of training, if this training is completed through Ability Focus.
This grant rebate scheme is funded under the Department of Social Protection's Reasonable Accommodation Fund and in order to avail of the 90% DASS grant a private sector organisation must partner with a recognised training provider.
Unfortunately, the Disability Awareness Support Scheme Grant is very much underutilized here in Ireland. Many private sector businesses simply aren't aware that there is grant funding which covers the vast majority of your disability awareness training expenses.
At Ability Focus we work closely with businesses, guiding them through the fairly simple grant application process, resulting in full Disability Awareness Support Scheme grant reimbursement for all our clients. We have vast experience in grant submissions having assisted grant applications with many private sector organisations across the country, ranging from SME's to large multinationals.
When looking to partner with a disability awareness training provider it is important to select an organisation who has qualified Learning & Development (L&D) professionals delivering all training programmes. This ensures programmes which are formatted in line with L&D best practice standards. As per DSP requirements, the 90% DASS grant will not be awarded to any organisation who does not have qualified L&D staff delivering disability awareness training.
At Ability Focus we are also proud to say our programmes are externally endorsed by the Learning & Development Institute (L&DI) while also being CPD accredited. This external endorsement and CPD accreditation are also key factors in ensuring a successful DASS grant submission.
With the DSP funding a grant which can cover up to 90% of the cost of training for private sector businesses, there is very little excuse for organisations not to put aside a few hours to offer staff a comprehensive Disability Awareness training programme, delivered by qualified L&D professionals, to help create a more open and genuinely inclusive environment for everyone.
At Ability focus we passionately believe that the first (and most important) step in creating a workplace which truly welcomes well over 650,000 disabled Irish people is disability awareness training.
With a government grant covering 90% of the cost of training, if you're not considering disability awareness training for your staff, then the question should be asked..are you really inclusive?
If you are considering Disability Awareness Training for your organisation, please get in touch with Ability Focus by calling (01) 699 1150 or email info@abilityfocus.ie and we will be happy to discuss a customised programme to suit your disability training needs.
Ability Focus is the leading provider of disability awareness training in Ireland. Our training programmes are CPD accredited, IITD Endorsed and delivered by qualified trainers with over seventeen years' experience working in disability inclusion.
