Ability Focus
Ability Focus Clients
The Ability Focus team is proud to have partnered with many leading organisations in government, state, not-for-profit and private sectors who are committed to best practice workplace disability inclusion.
Check out some of our testimonials below.
Ability Focus
Client Testimonials
Please find below a selection of testimonials from organisations we’re proud to have worked with:
"Ability Focus has been an important partner in supporting us on our Diversity and Inclusion journey. The training sessions provided by Ability Focus are not only comprehensive and insightful but also engaging and well-structured. Our team members have found the content to be highly relevant and hugely impactful. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Ability Focus into the future."
"Having facilitated and led the CPD-accredited Disability Awareness in the Workplace training session with the firm last year, Stephen Kelly rolled out an excellent Reasonable Accommodation Training session for Grant Thornton covering five key areas: Disability disclosure; objective analysis; procedural obligations; disproportionate burden; and policy and process. Joined by a number of my Grant Thornton Ireland colleagues, I know there was a lot of learnings for us all to bring back to the discussion table – a productive Friday morning! Thanks Stephen."
"We at FoodCloud have been really happy with the training and support provided by Ability Focus. They delivered three training programmes for our team: Leading Disability Inclusive Teams, Reasonable Accommodation Training for Managers, and Neurodiversity Awareness Training for Managers. The feedback from everyone who attended was fantastic. The sessions were engaging, informative and, importantly, very practical. Our managers came away with a much better understanding of how they can support and lead more inclusive teams, as well as a greater awareness of the experiences and needs of disabled and neurodivergent colleagues.
We also really appreciated the support Ability Focus provided when we were developing our reasonable accommodation policy. Their knowledge and guidance were incredibly helpful and gave us greater confidence in putting a clear and practical approach in place. We found Ability Focus to be professional, knowledgeable and very easy to work with. The training has had a really positive impact on our team, and we would be very happy to recommend Ability Focus to other organisations looking to strengthen their approach to disability inclusion and create a more inclusive workplace."
"Having previously worked with Stephen and Ability Focus, I was delighted to engage them to deliver Disability Awareness Training for Connacht Rugby. Stephen facilitated an engaging, informative, and thought-provoking session, expertly tailoring the content to a diverse audience with varying roles and responsibilities across the organisation. The training not only increased awareness and understanding but also provided practical, actionable steps that can be implemented immediately to support and strengthen inclusion throughout Connacht Rugby."
“Ability Focus delivered excellent, high-quality disability and neurodiversity training that was both engaging and impactful. The content was thoughtfully designed and strongly aligned with our diversity and inclusion goals, ensuring it was relevant, practical, and meaningful for our organisation. The training supported our broader strategy and helped build greater awareness, capability, and confidence across our team. The facilitators were knowledgeable, engaging, and responsive to our needs, creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. We have no hesitation in recommending Ability Focus.”
"I would be very happy to recommend Ability Focus to an employer/HR Manager looking to promote and foster Inclusion in the workplace. This training is really valuable from an organisational culture perspective and as a life skill. Ability Focus were excellent from the start, from supporting our Work & Access funding application to planning/scheduling and working around our time commitments, it was all very easy. The feedback of the programme content from our employees was really excellent and it all ran seamlessly. 5 sessions and 80 employees covered. Thanks again to Stephen and his team. I look forward to working with them again in the future."
"We worked closely with Ability Focus to develop and deliver bespoke disability training to our staff in the National Screening Service. The training covers disability awareness, reasonable accommodation and effective communication with disabled people. Stephen actively enabled the development and delivery of the training. He advised us on many areas of disability inclusion and how we can aim to continually improve the way we engage with people with disabilities. Our staff found the session valuable and engaging. 98% of the attendees strongly agreed or agreed the training has improved their general understanding of disabilities. I would highly recommend Stephen and Ability Focus to organisations looking to improve disability awareness with their staff."
"As part of UCD’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Training Programme, Stephen Kelly from Ability Focus delivered training on Disability Awareness and Reasonable Accommodation to employees including managers. Stephen was a pleasure to work with during a College pilot and provided demo sessions for our steering group. He understood our needs and worked with us to tailor the training to UCD employees. We rolled out the new training in the 2023/2024 Academic Year to over 80 participants and the feedback is very positive, particularly on how knowledgeable Stephen is and how engaging and informative the sessions are. "
Ability Focus has been an invaluable partner in advancing Sport Ireland's commitment to disability inclusion in the workplace. Stephen and his team have provided exceptional services that have directly impacted our workers at Sport Ireland. From delivering disability awareness training on topics like neurodiversity to guiding us in implementing disability-inclusive recruitment practices, Ability Focus has been instrumental in enhancing our organisation's inclusivity.
Stephen has not only designed and delivered bespoke training sessions but has also provided invaluable insights into niche areas related to diversity in the workplace. Additionally, his support in ensuring our job descriptions are inclusive for people with disabilities has been invaluable."
"I want to thank Ability Focus and in particular Stephen for their expertise in supporting the development of our Disability Awareness e-learn. Stephen’s expertise and deep understanding of disability inclusion has helped us shape an impressive e-learn that has become the cornerstone of our training efforts. The shift in awareness has been palpable ; we’ve seen a noticeable change in how our teams interact , make decisions, and create a more inclusive environment. Stephen provided so much knowledge, enthusiasm and direction during the development of our Disability Awareness eLearning. His approach as a subject matter expert was refreshing and a vital support for my digital learning design on the project. We are incredibly grateful to Stephen for his support and would highly recommend Ability Focus services to any company looking to advance disability awareness and foster a truly inclusive workplace. "
"The disability awareness training provided by Ability Focus was instrumental in teaching our learners the foundations of disability related issues and how to effectively engage with colleagues with disabilities. This training is useful not only in the work environment but also in everyday life and in helping to break down any unconscious bias an individual may have on what it looks like to have a disability."
"Tifco Hotel Group collaborated with Ability Focus from June to September 2023 to deliver a number of Disability Awareness training sessions for our staff members. Training provided by Stephen Kelly and his team is of excellent quality, very informative and engaging. Feedback from our staff members who attended training was extremely positive. Diversity and inclusion are a big focus within Tifco Hotel Group and Disability Awareness training has played a significant role in supporting our staff in that area and growing their knowledge. We would highly recommend Ability Focus as an excellent training provider.
Stephen has not only designed and delivered bespoke training sessions but has also provided invaluable insights into niche areas related to diversity in the workplace. Additionally, his support in ensuring our job descriptions are inclusive for people with disabilities has been invaluable."
"Diversity and Inclusion has always been a core focus at CNP Santander Insurance, and we take seriously our duty to our diverse staff and customers. In 2022 we committed to become more accessible to staff, future staff and our customers with disabilities. In March 2022 we delivered with the support of Ability Focus four 90-minute Disability Awareness training programmes across the organisation. The training delivered by Stephen Kelly was excellent and warmly received by the entire organisation, someone even went so far as to say 'it was the best training I have received during my entire time in the company."
Stephen has not only designed and delivered bespoke training sessions but has also provided invaluable insights into niche areas related to diversity in the workplace. Additionally, his support in ensuring our job descriptions are inclusive for people with disabilities has been invaluable."
"As part of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programme, Stephen Kelly from Ability Focus provided Disability Awareness Training to the staff of the Central Statistics Office in early October, which was well received in the organisation. Stephen understood our brief and was very easy to deal with. The training was delivered through an engaging and interactive presentation to a large audience and feedback from staff was very positive."
"Ability Focus have played a pivotal role in advancing An Post’s Disability Inclusion agenda. From March 2022 to March 2023, Stephen designed and delivered bespoke Disability Awareness, Reasonable Accommodation, and Inclusive Recruitment training to over 1,000 An Post employees across our 3 business units. The feedback has been incredibly positive thanks to the engaging & memorable content delivered by Stephen. An Post colleagues have benefitted greatly, and are better equipped to provide support to disabled people in work and in our communities. Thank you so much Stephen & team @ Ability Focus! "
"We here in Limerick City & County Council cannot recommend Ability Focus enough. Autism Awareness training was delivered to all our departments across the organisation and was a tremendous success. Feedback from staff was so positive we even offered it out to our community groups to take part as we felt it was important that they get the same opportunity to have this training like ourselves. Stephen and Nadia were both so professional and the training was effective and to the point without ever feeling heavy or overwhelming. Thank you Stephen and Nadia for everything!
"Bord Bia is committed to keeping disability inclusion forefront of our business, and one way we do this is by partnering with Ability Focus for a number of training sessions which are always well received by staff. Stephen’s sessions are highly engaging, very informative and clear. His expertise and passion for the area really shines through in his sessions and attendees as a result feel more knowledgeable and better equipped to engage with persons with disabilities. Ability Focus play a pivotal role in raising awareness of disability within our organisation. "
"In partnering with Ability Focus to help us progress our diversity and inclusion strategy, Stephen Kelly has delivered a number of workshops for us including building inclusive recruitment practices and more recently disability awareness training with the wider HR community. Feedback from the teams has been excellent. Our next step is to roll this awareness training out to the wider organisation and implement a number of actions to better support employees with disabilities. Stephen has huge knowledge and experience in this area and shares his expertise and passion for driving progress in a highly engaging and compelling manner. I would have no hesitation in recommending him to any organisation and I look forward to continuing our work with Stephen through 2022."
"Stephen, thank you so much for providing Remote Disability Awareness Training to our colleagues at Bank of Ireland. Your natural approach, extensive subject knowledge and passion was abundantly evident throughout each and every session which made the training enjoyable and engaging.
The knowledge gained by us around the core aspects of disability, especially on the topic of Legislation & Reasonable Accommodations, gave us greater confidence when engaging with colleagues and to create an inclusive and diverse place to work where our colleagues can be themselves and perform to their full potential "
Stephen has not only designed and delivered bespoke training sessions but has also provided invaluable insights into niche areas related to diversity in the workplace. Additionally, his support in ensuring our job descriptions are inclusive for people with disabilities has been invaluable."
"Ability Focus offers an excellent Disability Awareness training package with an easy to use online booking system. Stephen’s depth of knowledge around disability and inclusion is very evident when he delivers a session. He developed and delivered a specific suite of training for our staff and the benefits are far reaching for an organisation like ours where awareness and inclusion for people with disabilities is at the core of everything we do. Highly recommended"
"Ability Focus provided Disability Awareness Training to our staff in the Legal Aid Board earlier in this year. As a manager in the Research, Learning and Development Unit, I am always seeking staff feedback. All of our staff who attended this course found it very engaging and thought provoking. So much so, that we arranged more sessions. We are very thankful that Ability Focus have been able to play a very important role in raising awareness in the area of Disability."
"The National Concert Hall Operations team undertook Disability Awareness Training on Zoom with Ability Focus. Each module proved to be engaging, thought provoking and informative. The NCH prides itself on outstanding customer service and world class music, Ability Focus proved that they too can hit all the right notes."
"Staff at Kingfisher recently undertook Disability Awareness training with Ability Focus. This training focused mainly on our public facing staff with the aim of ensuring a greater understanding of disability when dealing with our patrons. Stephen delivered the training the most engaging manner, was so knowledgeable and encouraged great interaction throughout all training sessions. The staff loved the training and all highly recommend! "
