Learning and Development

Why invest in Learning and Development?

Learning and Development (L&D) is the process taken by organisations and individuals to give employees the skills and resources to promote and sustain ongoing success. It consists of a range of tools and techniques combined into a programme to support an organisation’s strategic business goals.

When it comes to an organisation’s disability strategy, L&D is a key component in identifying gaps and barriers for disabled candidates, employees and customers, and building a strategy to meet current and emerging needs.

How to determine the right learning solution

People are at the heart of all L&D, so our approach to helping businesses to determine the right learning solution for their teams is to start with the audience first.

The L&D required for each organisation/team is determined by getting a better understanding of the style, mission, values of the organisation as well as learning more about the learners’ role and responsibilities.

Some key questions to consider before determining which learning offer is right for your team include:

• What are your organisation’s objectives around disability, improving how you attract and retain disabled talent, and/or providing excellent service to disabled customers?
• What gaps or barriers have you identified for disabled candidates, employees or customers?
• Who is the primary learning audience?
• What role does the learning audience play in helping the organisation meet its disability-related goals or in addressing the gaps identified by candidates, employees or customers?
• What skills, knowledge or behaviours does the learning audience need to demonstrate in order to consider the learning intervention successful? How will these be measured?
• What has prompted you to seek L&D support for your team/colleagues?

We’ll help you to identify gaps in knowledge and potential barriers for disabled employees that will be addressed through the development of robust learning strategy and training courses.

Standard courses

We offer a range standard courses that are pre-designed and delivered by our expert trainers. If more time is required, or the needs of the learning audience differ from the standard course content or objectives, consider tailored or bespoke learning options. The courses below are delivered for groups either virtually (using the platform of your choice), or in person to your organisation.

“Excellent course. I found it incredibly useful and eye-opening. I will be recommending it to my peers. Different way of thinking. The presenter was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. Very personable and I felt invited to ask questions.”

“I really enjoyed the course and it more than met my expectations.”

“This was a good overview and opportunity to refresh understanding about disability in the workplace.”

Introduction to disability in the workplace (3 hrs)

This is a general introductory course for anyone in your organisation who would like to learn more about disability in the workplace, reasonable adjustments and how to support disabled colleagues, staff and customers.

Disability-smart recruitment (3 hrs)

This course will provide recruitment specialists with the knowledge and skills to attract and support disabled candidates. It covers best practice and how to identify and remove barriers throughout the end-to-end recruitment journey.

Creating a disability-smart customer experience (3 hrs)

This course will help build the skills and confidence of front of house staff and those who engage with your customers face-to-face, via email or over the telephone.

To register for our professional development webinars, conferences and events as an individual learner visit our events page. 

Tailored learning offer

Based on our standard courses, our tailored learning allows amendments to case studies and adaptations to resources to meet the needs of the learning audience and the organisation’s objectives.

Course learning objectives will be determined in consultation with the learning project sponsor and will vary depending on the needs of each audience.

Bespoke learning offer

Our bespoke learning offer provides an opportunity for organisations to have a course designed specifically to their requirements. This can include topics that are specific to the organisation’s disability-related objectives or gaps which have been identified by the host organisation. This learning offer can also include subjects covered in our Knowledge Hub resources.

Course learning objectives will be determined in consultation with the learning project sponsor and will vary depending on the needs of each audience.

Neurodiversity e-learning

These online e-learning modules are designed by our Expert Solution Provider, Do-IT Solutions to increase awareness of neurodiversity.

Contact the Learning & Development team

For more information about our standard courses, tailored and bespoke learning offers, and to discuss costs, please email our Learning & Development team.

If you require this content in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.