National Forum of Graduates with Disabilities (NFGD) Inaugural Conference.
UCD November 2003

Initial findings from Roundtable Discussions at the launch of the NFGD November 6th 2003.

Overall it was felt that graduates with disabilities are far more effective collectively rather than individually therefore this Forum could act as a network for graduates with disabilities, providing information on:

• Employment
• Assistive Technology
• Legislation relating to the workplace
• Access Issues
• Disability Equality Training
• Employer grants

Each group stressed that the most important aspect of this Forum is that it is graduate driven and that the expertise and experience of the people in attendance should be used as the main resource for this Forum. It was stated that the Forum could be a facilitator of change within the second and third level sectors. The Forum working together with educational institutions, in particular the career advisory services, could provide specific preparation and training for graduates with disabilities to assist them in making the transition from education to employment. The Forum could act as an information centre about employment, careers advice, CV preparation, interview techniques and skills. In order for graduates with disabilities to be made aware of potential employment opportunities the information available in newspapers, careers advisory services, etc. should be made accessible, thus the Forum could create a medium in which the information about jobs etc could be made accessible to all graduates with disabilities.

In relation to the theme of disclosure and employment there were mixed feelings on this issue, some felt it was better to disclose the disability and others felt that this was an individual choice. The Forum could provide a mentoring system where graduates with disabilities could act as mentors or role models in order to assist students with a disability on graduation. Disability awareness training should be carried out on a national basis for employers and service providers as this is vital in order to change attitudes and to create awareness about disability issues. An information service about grants and assistive technology including technical supports should be a key feature of this Forum.

Positive attitudes and self-awareness by the graduates with disabilities themselves is very important in order to change existing attitudes towards people with disabilities. A standardised code of practice on access issues should be created and controlled by this Forum. The Forum could act as a research centre; it could look to other countries to see if the concept of a National Forum of Graduates with Disabilities exists elsewhere and how it has been adopted in the workplace. A national database of graduates with disabilities could be set up and this could be ongoing and would act as a source of information on several employment themes.

Activities of the Forum:
- Communicated via an electronic discussion forum and further events.
- Conducted research into the employment experiences and types of employment of graduates with disabilities.
- Established a mentoring work placement scheme with a range of employers.
- Supported graduates in making a successful transition to employment.


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