Accommodation and Catering Accessibility for Disability - ACAD

Accommodation and Catering Accessibility for Disability (ACAD) is a result of Action For Blind People’s partnership with three other organisations as part of the Leonardo da Vinci Life Long Learning Programme.

Project outline

The ACAD goal is to improve the vocational education and training for hotel and catering staff and management so they are prepared to offer the same quality services to clients with disabilities as to other clients and at the same time to make them more competitive in the European labour market. Both European and the national legislation of many countries fight against discrimination against people on the grounds of disability. ACAD will provide tools to help comply with these rules.

Project ACAD will also play a key role in preparing the hotel and catering sector for the demands of the 2012 Football European Championship. Many European visitors will arrive in Poland for this event, and this is sure to include many people with disabilities.

Other outcomes will include raised awareness, the development of specific skills, more qualified staff and increased expertise in the relevant sectors. The resultant benefits in terms of business and profitability are likely to encourage other industries to take similar action.

Increasing the accessibility of the hotel and catering sector to clients with disabilities is set to increase social awareness and inclusion. It will also make services more competitive, enabling them to appeal to a wider target audience.

Outcomes

The ACAD outcomes will include:

  • A universal training programme for hotel/accommodation and catering service staff – which, while initially tailored to the needs of Poland, will be easily adjustable to any other European country.
  • Comprehensive training materials.
  • A manual for staff and managers in the hotel and catering sector, informing them how to provide services that fully include disabled customers.
  • New control tool, analysing appropriate qualification levels in providing services to clients with disabilities.
  • Introduction of a new certificate for qualifications in offering services to disabled consumers.
  • New pilot initiative, training a group of hotel and catering sector employees.
  • A project website with all materials.

Visit the ACAD website for more information.

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