The WAM programme at AHEAD are running a free training webinar aimed at current WAM employers and potential WAM employers.
When: Wednesday, March 9th 2022 from 11.30am - 1.00pm
What: Back to the Future - Hybrid Working
More About WAM: The WAM programme is the transition to employment initiative of AHEAD. It offers graduates with disabilities the benefit of a 6-month minimum fully paid and mentored work internships with high profile employers. WAM was established in 2005 and, to date, have placed over 550 graduates with both private and public sector employers.
Event Information
As of January this year, the requirement to work from home unless you need to attend your workplace came to an end, which means a phased return to the workplace is underway for thousands of companies and their employees.
The lifting of restrictions although a welcome development towards a post covid world and a “new normal” is also raising many questions, concerns and fears for both employees and employers.
Will there be an expectation to go back to the old way of working? What does this mean for employees with disabilities? Will the learnings and positive experiences from the remote working arrangement created by the pandemic continue to be options for people with disabilities now and into the future. Will remote and hybrid working be considered a reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities?
The webinar will commence with a presentation from See Change Ireland’s national mental health stigma reduction partnership. The presentation focuses on supporting all employees with their mental health and the guides and information they have developed for the workplace.
The WAM Programme, AHEAD will present on the learnings and experiences of remote working for graduates with disabilities on WAM placements. The session will discuss what considerations and supports for employees with disabilities do we need to think about for hybrid working going forward.
The webinar will close with a questions and answers session for attendees.
About our speakers
Barbara Brennan, See Change Programmes Team Leader
Change Maker, Stigma Disruptor, Mental Health and Human Rights Advocate
An inspirational ‘thought leader’ in her field, Barbara has over 13 years’ experience in changing the culture of mental health at all levels of society. A regular contributor to national mainstream and social media, Barbara is at home speaking to local community groups, CEO’s or senior leaders in the public and corporate world. She has lectured at Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, and University College Cork inspiring people to think differently about mental health and wellbeing.
In the national discourse on mental health Barbara has motivated change and advised policy makers such as the National Office for Suicide Prevention, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Mental Health Commission and Irish Mental Health Lawyers Association. A highly esteemed trainer and facilitator, Barbara now uses her passion and experience to lead a national programme ‘See Change’, to give voice to people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, inspire a message of hope and recovery and ultimately spark an international conversation on reducing stigma.
Caroline McGrotty - Employment Manager, AHEAD
Caroline oversees AHEAD’s projects relating to the transition to employment for students and graduates with disabilities, namely GetAHEAD and The WAM Programme which is a work placement programme. Caroline holds qualifications in Deaf Studies, Irish Sign Language Teaching and Equality Studies and currently undertaking a Masters by Research in Deaf Education with DCU. Caroline has over 14 years’ experience of working and volunteering within the disability sector and various organisations within the Deaf community.
Deirdre Moore - Senior WAM Project Officer, AHEAD
Deirdre joined the AHEAD team in 2021 and is working on The Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme which aims to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities and build the capacity of employers to integrate disability into the mainstream workplace. Deirdre holds a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies in Social Care and has 18 years' experience working in the disability sector both here in Ireland and in Australia. During this time Deirdre was involved in the establishment and delivery of various new and innovative disability and social inclusion programmes for people with disabilities.
