On the route towards social inclusion at the university: The

personnel training as a practical tool to attitude change

Paula PietiläDisability Coordinator

University of Turku, FinlandEmail: paula.pietila@utu.fi

Accessibility in Finnish HeI`s

• Non-discrimination Act as a part of the constitution since 2004

• According to the Act every the HeI has to be the plan of action for equality and non-discrimination

• The past few years there have been a few projects concearning accessibility and disability issues, ( Inclusive Higher Education-project, for example)

Accessibility in Finnish HeI`s

As results of these projects:• The Best practices and bad experiences for

building up more accessible HeI have been gathered and studied

• A few HeI`s have guidelines for accessibility, special arrangements for applicants/students with disabilities or dyslexia

• Especially physical environment of HeI`s has been improved

Accessibility in Finnish HeI`s

• The awareness of Accessibility issues has been increased among personnel and students

Why do we need take care of accessibility, has turned to a question, how we could do it.

• According to the enquiry: Negative attitudes are often the biggest barriers in front of more accessible HeI

Most of the respondents thought, that the reason for prejudices is the lack of information:

“People don't come to thing about accessibility, because the don't confronted it in every day life”

The personnel training as a tool to attitude change?

The personnel training as a tool to attitude change?

On the other hand….“Everybody could confront disability/learning

problems in some phase of his/her career or life”

• Do we need personnel training for accessibility and why?

Why do we need personnel training?

“Training is important, but we don't have time or money”

• Accessibility/equality themes as a part as general personnel training and information for new employers, applicants and students

• Every member of the society is the responsible for accessibility at the university

• Everyone is also a user of accessibility

Personnel training for whom?

• Who belongs to the target group and how we could reach them?

Personnel training for whom?

• Those, who make decisions (headmasters, administrative staff etc)

• Those, who revels accessibility in practice (real-estate personnel, teachers, counselors, tutors etc)

• Use different channels to inform people: Colleagues are often the best mass media

• If they cannot come to you, you have to go to them• Share the information after training through internet

What makes a good personnel training?

• The members of the staff are often the best advisors to tell, what they need to know

• Use the expertise of student with disabilities/dyslexia and their associations in planning and carrying out the training

• The accessibility and equality issues are included in all personnel training and information

What makes a good personnel training?

• Take care that those, who are in key positions get the special information and peer support that they need

• Training is one tool to increase awareness of accessibility and disability

Use the knowledge, that people already have, avoid concepts they don't know

Don't hesitate to handled difficult themes, that could arise arguing

What makes a good personnel training?

• Discussed also things, that have been positive or developed

After Personnel Training…

• More specific questions will be rising, when accessibility and disability get new shapes

• New networks will be born and experiences could be shared and use as a tool for inclusion in higher education