Enabling Spaces – Training for Venue Staff

Bamboozle’s Disability Awareness Training

“The brief course is eye-opening.”  Wilhelmina Mackey, WAC

Most cultural venues are keen to welcome disabled people and families who have a disabled child. The trouble is that sometimes it is not so easy to know what to say or what to do when a learning disabled child arrives at your theatre. Families who have a learning disabled child tell us that they often think twice about going to a venue for a number of reasons. They’re afraid of not feeling welcome, having inappropriate seats, being embarrassed if their child makes a noise, not having the right facilities to change – the list goes on.

Bamboozle can help you answer these questions with a training session led by a senior Bamboozle facilitator and a parent of a profoundly disabled child.

Who’s the training for? Any member of your team who will come into contact with the public, face to face, on the phone or via print, e.g.:

• Front of house staff
• Box Office
• Admin teams
• Marketing
• Participation team

Course content

Run using the Social Model of disability the training will support participants to consider:

• The family context. Hear how a parent prepeares their disbled child for a trip out of the house, from the time they awake in the morning to the moment they arrive at the venue. These stories give all of us, who do not have such challenges, an insight into what a massive commitment it is to participate in days out.
• Physical structures and approaches that are helpful – including staffing, facilities, entrances, exits and parking provision.
• What you might ask on the phone when a person says “My child is disabled.”
• Questions you may be asked by a person bringing a disabled child to your venue.
• Accessible ways to welcome a disabled child to your venue on arrival.
• Any questions that are specific to your venue or your staff.

Theatres that have had some training: Royal & Derngate, Northampton; Warwick Arts Centre; Lincoln Drill Hall; The Castle, Wellingborough; Leicester’s Curve.

What theatre staff say is valuable about Bamboozle’s training:

“Getting a real feel for how challenging it can be for a family to even arrive at the theatre.” Helen Lound, Warwick Arts Centre

“Gained confidence in an approach to disabilities.” A. Ubhi, The Castle

Dates, venues and fees

These courses usually take place at specific venues by arrangement. Due to the COVID situation no dates for these courses are currently scheduled. We hope to be able to publish new dates early next year. If you would like to explore possibilities for setting up a socially distanced training session at your venue please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the Contact page.