Work and Access - Disability Equality and Inclusion Training Grant

Work and Access is a scheme to support inclusive employment by offering funding to adjust workplaces and make them more accessible for people with disabilities.

Funding is available to qualifying job candidates, employees, self-employed people, and employers.

There are 7 categories of Work and Access support:

• Workplace Needs Assessment
• Communication Support
• In-Work Support
• Personal Reader
• Work Equipment
• Workplace Adaptation
• Disability Equality and Inclusion Training

This page explains the Disability Equality and Inclusion Training Grant. Depending on their needs, applicants may be entitled to more than one support at the same time.  Check the Work and Access Programme details in full before you apply for any support.

The Disability Equality and Inclusion Training Grant is part of the new Work and Access employment programme.

If you are an employer in the private-sector, community and voluntary sector or a not-for-profit organisation, you can apply for a grant of up to €20,000 to arrange and pay for disability equality and inclusion training.

Employers or organisations can use this support if they:

• Are in the private sector, community and voluntary sector or as a not-for-profit organisation
• Have paid employees
• Want to provide staff training and development to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace
• Want to deliver an inclusive and user-friendly service for customers with disabilities

Work and Access general eligibility criteria do not apply to the Disability Equality and Inclusion Training Support Grant.

Training courses should be tailored to address the specific needs of employees. Employers can get funding for all 3 types of training below at the same time.

General disability equality and inclusion Training

Training must provide:

• Information to help increase awareness and understanding of people with disabilities, the social model of disability, and the principles of disability equality.
• An overview of anti-discrimination and equal opportunities laws, including reasonable accommodations.
• Information about different types of disabilities.
• Guidance on how to communicate and interact respectfully and inclusively with people with disabilities.
• Best practices for recognising people with disabilities as individuals with their own abilities and skills and challenging negative stereotypes and attitudes.
• Information on how to effectively include people with mental health issues at work.

Inclusive recruitment and management training

Training must cover how to:

• Actively reach out to people with disabilities in recruitment efforts.
• Run fair and inclusive application and interview processes.
• Talk about disability and disclosure with candidates or employees.
• Handle requests for and provide reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
• Recognise and address unconscious bias.

Disability- specific training

For example:

• ISL (Irish Sign Language) training for employees if a colleague or employer is deaf.
• Lámh employee training if a colleague or employer uses Lámh for communication.
• Courses on best practices for including people with specific disabilities in the workplace, like those with neurodiversity, when a colleague or employer is neurodivergent.

The employer or organisation is responsible for finding its own training provider.

The trainer or provider should have the following:

• Relevant qualifications or experience (or both), including expertise in creating universally designed training programs and providing accessible training materials.
• A solid understanding of the social model of disability.
• Extensive knowledge of disability policy, rights, and related issues.
• Experience or understanding of equality, disability, human rights, and inclusion.
• A disability themselves, or they should either co-deliver the training with a person with a disability or have developed the training program in collaboration with people with disabilities.

The level of funding available depends on whether the course is certified by QQI or another nationally recognised governing body.

Employers can get the following:

• Up to €20,000 a year for approved training costs
• 90% of the cost for courses certified by QQI or another nationally recognised governing body
• 80% of the cost for courses not certified by a recognised governing body

The Department of Social Protection is developing an online application process, which will be available soon. In the meantime, follow the process below.

Step 1: Complete the application form

• Request the form from your local Intreo Office or download it from gov.ie.
• Complete the WA2 Form.

Step 2: Submission and support details

• Send your completed WA2 Form by post to Work and Access Section, Central Team, Finglas Intreo Centre, PO Box 13736, Freepost FDN7696, Dublin 11

Step 3: Assessment and processing

• A designated Employer Relations Officer (ERO) will manage your application.
• You will be contacted directly to discuss available options and necessary documents.
• Final approval is required before purchasing any support.
• Applications submitted after purchasing support cannot be processed or paid.

You must provide an invoice from the course provider that includes all contact details and costs.

For more information about the Work and Access programme:

• Read the Department of Social Protection Operational Guidelines for the Work and Access Programme
• Visit your local Intreo Centre
• Email: WorkandAccess@welfare.ie
• Write to: Work and Access Section, Central Team, Finglas Intreo Centre, PO Box 13736, Freepost FDN7696, Dublin 11