Client Profile: SIRO Broadband
For week 1 in our Client Profile Series, we profile a client Ability Focus worked with who demonstrated such a genuine commitment to disability inclusion - SIRO Broadband.
SIRO Broadband is a joint venture company between Vodafone & ESB which was set up in 2015 and is a broadband wholesaler. They are currently carrying out an infrastructure build in towns right across Ireland and can provide internet speeds of up to 1 Gigabite per second. They partner with a wide network of service providers to ensure your home or business gets the best broadband speeds possible. SIRO has over 140 employees and works with contractors across Ireland to deliver their broadband infrastructure.
Ability Focus was delighted to have the opportunity to work with SIRO to deliver Disability Awareness Training to staff through our Live Online (Remote) Disability Awareness Training programmes.
Blanaid O'Regan, Director of People & Culture was the driving force in ensuring this disability training was delivered to staff right across the organisation. Blanaid worked with Ability Focus to schedule 4 separate Live Online Disability Awareness Training programmes which were delivered to participants from all sectors of the business over a two-month period. She also had the task of applying for Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS) grant funding. Because Ability Focus are an accredited disability awareness training provider and have much experience in assisting with DASS grant applications, we were happy to assist Blanaid with guidance through the paperwork and final grant submission to the Department of Social Protection. This training grant was approved by the DSP in a short turnaround time.
During each of the four disability awareness programmes participants learned about effective communication, disability and diversity, statistics relating to disability, legislation relating to disability, barriers to inclusion and the important topic of Reasonable Accommodation in the workplace.
What particularly stood out to Ability Focus about participants from SIRO was the level of engagement in each of the four disability awareness training groups. We had engineers tuning in attentively from their smart phones while out of the office. We had office-based staff asking challenging questions with genuine interest, and colleagues from all areas of the business relaying stories of the impact of disability on various levels.
A key aspect to the success of this training was the commitment from the Senior Leadership Team. Having participants such as John Keaney, CEO of SIRO, take the time to attend training over two mornings demonstrated that the SIRO commitment to disability inclusion really does include everyone. John was particularly engaged over all four sessions and was happy to ask questions and encourage further interaction.
The team at SIRO continued with engagement after each disability training programme with questions coming from many sectors of company on how to be a best practice employer and service provider in this important area.
For Ability Focus, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience working with Blanaid and the team at SIRO. Having completed disability awareness training with the SIRO team we have no doubt that this is an organisation who are fully committed to being a disability inclusive employer.
It was great to get such positive feedback from Blanaid and the team at SIRO and we're glad the Ability Focus team were able to have a positive impact in this important area.
"We had so much positive feedback from the training. So many peoples' lives are touched by disability and in doing the training we got a lot of insight into personal and family experiences. The learning has helped us on our journey to be a truly inclusive employer."
Blanaid O' Regan
Director of People and Culture
SIRO Broadband
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.
