Heads Up Workshop

This is a fantastic opportunity for 30 students and graduates with disabilities. Please email linda.kelly@ahead.ie to reserve a place. 

 

Week in Review

Lots of links this week, many focusing on Ruairi Quinn and the appointment of his new adviser, Journalist John Waters as well as his focus on improving literacy. It’s also Organ Donation Week this week and there has been a lot of coverage of this and the proposed new system of ‘opting out’.

Also came across this great initiative for students trying to decide what they want to do in college: http://courseinsights.com/

• Commissioner for Human Rights speaks out against denial of voting rights to people with disabilities
• Concern at ADHD medication rates
• Mother calls for warning on medicines
• Thousands of children on ADHD drugs
• Call to fund fight against falling literacy levels
• Man’s will is changed to provide for disabled daughter
• Warning to litigant on Mental Health Act challenge
• Online job hunting – don’t be fake, a flake or get pictured naked
• C&AG probes ‘unlawful payments’ at universities
• Pitching second nature, despite player’s disability
• Disability Voice: An inside view on disability in Europe (Newsletter)
• Peking University to screen students for ‘radical thoughts’
• State to review pay of disability service executives
• What does the Teaching Council do?
• The role of the HEA should be to serve, not to command and control
• Lay off the criticism: teachers have given a lot and they deserve a break
• Tributes paid to fearless champion of the disabled
• Disabled athletes get facilities scheme boost
• Get On Board for Youth Mental Health Campaign
• ‘I know I can only get the call for a transplant after somebody else’s tragedy’
• Quinn appoints journalist as adviser
• Concern over fall in organ donations
• How to boost organ donation (Letter to the Editor)
• Permission of family still needed with new ‘opt out’ organ donation system
• Special Olympics honour for dune-buggy victim
• Accessibility Guides for Businesses and Government Organizations
• Education editor to take up role with minister
• Words fail us — why the minister wants to improve literacy . . .
• Labour looks to Scottish Model
• Advocacy service for people with disabilities launched
• Older mental health clients to return to revamped unit
• Group president to school Quinn on issues facing secondary system
• Service aims to give disabled and vulnerable people a stronger voice
• Hundreds attend funeral of disability rights campaigner the Earl of Dunraven
• Simplistic approach ‘distorts university rankings’
• Tackling the decline in organ donor rates
• Calls for fresh safeguards against use of forced ECT
• 2012 disability ticketing set out
• Delay in resettling disabled patients sparks legal action
• Centre for Disability Law & Policy NUI Galway & Harvard Law School Project on Disability to Hold Summer School in June
• Quinn warned of funding challenge in education
• First Minister repeats call for single education system
• Burton won’t say if benefit cuts will be reversed

• Testing won’t boost literacy rates (Letter to the Editor)

• Cuts to special needs resources deplorable (Letter to the Editor)

 

I’m ready for work!

I went along with Niamh to the first Get Ready for Work seminar of 2011 the week before last in Dundalk. It was my first time going to one of these seminars and I have to say, for a day at work, I really enjoyed it! The day was focused on talking to students about selling their skills to employers and the different tools they can use to do a little bit of self investigation.

 

Harriet Andrews, the Careers Officer from DKIT recommends using the Grad Ireland Careers Report and Niamh pointed students to the new AHEAD publication on Disclosure – both very valuable in examining what you want out of your career and how to approach the very complex issue of ‘when do I tell someone about my disability?’

 

If you missed the Dundalk session – do not fear! We have another seminar coming up on the 30th March in Limerick. Check out the poster:

 

Are you ready for work?

• Have you thought about the career you would like to pursue?

• Do you know how & where to look for employment?

• Are you ready for interviews?

• Do you know how to deal with the issue of disclosure?

• Do you know how to tailor your CV for the career you want?

 

DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO MANAGE YOUR CAREER

Sign-up for this unique two day Career Skills programme for graduates with disabilities/ specific learning difficulties organised by GET AHEAD (a forum for graduates with disabilities) in conjunction with Graduate Careers Ireland (GCI), the professional body for all third level career services in Ireland.

Learn from the experts, careers advisors and employers, who will work with you to help you up-skill and maximise your opportunities to pursue the career that matches your educational and professional ambitions.

 

Where & When?

February 17th &18th 2011, DKIT

Topics to be covered will include: career decision making, job-seeking and interview skills, CV preparation, personal management, recruitment and selection processes. There will also be training and discussion on the issue of disclosure. Job preparation skills will be imparted in a hands-on approach, including lively interactive workshops, mock interviews given by HR staff from different companies and seminars by professional recruitment specialists.

For further information or to reserve a place on the next programme, please contact: Linda Kelly at linda.kelly@ahead.ie

Places are limited so please apply ASAP!