Consultancy

Wideaware provide a range of consultancy services, from disability access audits by qualified advisers to HR policy reviews. We are able to draw on over a decade of experience working with employers and disabled employees.

Disability Access Audits

Wideaware can help you fulfill your DED and DDA requirements in several ways. We perform a full DDA and DED-related access audit of your practice. This includes management procedures as well as the building itself. Our qualified Access Adviser has provided recommendations for businesses that have been successfully implemented in England and Scotland.

We undertake an extensive audit review and provide you with a report detailing the accessibility of entrances and exits, signage, wayfinding, toilets, office layout, lifts and staircases, parking facilities, even your website.

Our recommendations account for ‘reasonable adjustments’ – therefore avoiding you unnecessary expenses. To this we add an Operational Toolkit which will succintly present the information, separately from the main report, making it easier for you to implement changes. We will also give you a list of reputable providers from which additional equipment can be purchased, if needed, at a reasonable cost.

A recent audit we’ve undertaken is that of the new Media Centre, at 56 Southwark Bridge Road, a wonderful six-storeys building which will house community projects. References are available upon request.

Planning Accessible Events

Whether you’re aiming to organise a meeting disabled people need to attend or a large accessible event, we can help you make sure you are as inclusive as possible to everyone. From planning your outreach to catering, from arranging transport to finding an accessible venue, Wideaware consultancy will enable you to successfully organise and execute a great, inclusive event. After we help you with your first event we’ll also give you our complimentary toolkit ‘Organising Accessible Events’ which – through a practical checklist – helps you to keep up the good work independently.

Inclusive Employee Recruitment and Retention

Wideaware can advise you on how to go about recruiting disabled employees with the right language and formats used in your advertising and forms. We can advise you on how to ensure disabled staff receive the right level of support: this may include job-coaching or mediation designed to encourage self reliance and initiative for the employee, and the skills to approach any potential problems with tact and know-how for the employer.

Policy Reviews

As part of our consultancy work we undertake comprehensive policy reviews – whether you’re a public authority or a corporate firm. This helps you fulfill your obligations under the DED or as a public service contractor. It looks at your communication to the general public and employees and current management procedures. The service includes an implementation toolkit and examples of best practice. A recent policy review was undertaken by Wideaware for the Communication’s Department for the office of the London’s Mayor, references are available on request.

Please contact us for more details:

Maria G. Zedda,
Tel: 0208 249 2868
Mobile: 07942 344 149
mzedda@wideaware.co.uk


Photo of illuminated sign by: Everydaylifemodern

Case Study

The Mayor of London's Communications Department needed an extensive review of their Communications Policy. It is important for City Hall to lead by example in the provision of inclusive services so Wideaware provided a one-stop consultancy service, reviewing their existing provisions and advising them on:

  • accessible formats of leaflets and documents aimed at the general public
  • accessible and inclusive policies - how to strategically outreach and include disabled Londoners
  • designing and planning accessible events

We also completed an Accessibility Audit of their Disability Capital and Capital Woman event and reviewed inaccessible events previously held by third parties so that lessons can be learned and problems rectified.

The Communications Department at the Mayor's Office are very satisfied with the work we've done for them and specific references can be provided on request.