Expertise Through Experience

Time for Change is a pioneering project which gives adults with learning disabilities the tools they need to become certified trainers. Created in the UK by Cornwall’s county council, this project embraces the idea that experts are the ones with the personal experience.  In other words, the best person to describe what people with learning disabilities want from public services, are people with learning disabilities themselves.

Read the full article in The Guardian and learn how trainers like Kevin Parrott are changing the way organisations think.

• Posted:30 Jan 2009 at 04:59 pm

Nominations for the 2009 Irish Blog Awards

The full list of nominees have been released.  Kanchi’s blog is nominated in the Best Newcomer category.  Though not the short list, nor the long list, Kanchi is delighted to be recognised.

Judging is officially underway in anticipation of February 21st, when the winners will be announced.

• Posted:29 Jan 2009 at 10:55 am

Irishman Reaches South Pole

Mark Pollock and his team reached the South Pole this week after a 22 day, 1000km trek.  An achievement in itself, this particular feat is historic.  Mark is now the first blind man to ever reach the very bottom of our planet.

This trek was part of a foot race to the South Pole involving three teams of three with each member pulling a 70kg sled behind them.  No sled dogs here.   With temperatures sinking to -50⁰C, an Antarctic summer is hard to imagine.  However, cold is not a deterrent for Mark.  Back in 2004 he completed the North Pole Marathon.  Mark Pollock has certainly found adventurous ways of exploring the world, top to bottom.

• Posted:28 Jan 2009 at 05:42 pm

Three New Maps to London’s Underground - The Tube

There are now three new maps of London’s underground mass transit system, The Tube.  First, the Step Free Tube Guide, depicts stations with step free access, where you can change lines step-free and provides information on gaps between platform and train.  The second map, The Tube Toilet Map, clearly depicts stations with accessible loos and baby changing facilities.

These maps depicting accessiblity will not only assist travellers with disabilities, but also passengers who are pregnant and elderly.  Additional maps are available in audio format, high contrast and large print.

Thirdly, Pruhealth, an insurance company, has published a map illustrating the number of steps between each central London station.  The goal being to encourage easy exercise.

• Posted:27 Jan 2009 at 04:26 pm

Caroline Casey Attends WEF 2009 Annual Meeting

Today, Caroline Casey will travel to Davos-Klosters, Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum 2009 Annual Meeting.  Between January 28th and February 1st, over 2,500 invitees from 96 countries will gather to address the World’s most prominent challenges.  Participants include over 40 heads of state and government, 1,400 business leaders, as well as social entrepreneurs, Young Global Leaders, religious leaders and public figures.

In light of current economic climate, the agenda for the Annual Meeting has been reconstructed with the theme “Shaping the Post-Crisis World”.  The agenda will include management of the current crisis, shaping the entire post-crisis agenda and utilising the power of collaboration to ensure a stronger state of the world.

This is the fourth WEF Annual Meeting Caroline will attend. As a Young Global Leader, she is looking forward to sharing what was discussed at the 2008 Inaugural Summit on the Global Agenda.

• Posted:26 Jan 2009 at 12:26 pm