A group of 13 persons with diverse disabilities (vision impaired, partially sighted, hearing impaired, physical disabilities, slow learners and persons with speech difficulties) successfully completed a course of study in Soft Skills at The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre in August 2018. In order to secure employment in the private sector it is very important to develop the soft skills of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities were trained in:
Motivational Session:
Who am I and what gifts do I bring.
Why am I following this course?
Sharing expectations.
Where am I now and where do I want to be at the end of the course.
Team building and the power of a Team.
Independence and control of my future.
The value of Time and managing it.
What are the different areas of our life and how do we balance it.
What is the Corporate World or what the world of work that I am in is or that I want to be in.
Personal Grooming and Etiquette
From hygiene matters through to Fashion in terms of personal Grooming
Basic etiquette
Handshake through to making conversation at business meetings and table manners
First Impressions and lasting impressions
Workplace Etiquette
What to do and what not to do at the work place and understanding the culture of the work
Place
Developing inter-personal skills, how to get along with others
Interpersonal Communication
The use of our voice to create the desired impression and questions to ascertain correct
Understanding.
Telephone etiquette – Communicating on the phone
Building Confidence
Making presentations and speeches, expressing one’s opinion at meetings
Body language
It is important as persons with disabilities may not understand the importance of posture,
Gestures, use of space etc.
Voice for effective communication
How to vary volume, Tone, Rate of Speech, Quality of voice, according to the context
Subjects of conversation appropriate for different situations
Structuring communication
The main areas of communication and how to
Structure their communication
Practical experience of table manners, office environment and hotel environment through a field visits to an office and a five star hotel.
Counselling.
Practical session on interview skills.
The resource persons were Mr. Dhananjaya Jayakody, Ms. Erosha Fernando, Mr. Rimaz Rizwie, Ms. Shamala Dulanjali, Ms. Rochelle Wandort, Ms. Sonali De Silva, Ms. Sewwandi Jayatunge, Mr. Udaya Ratnayake, Ms. Isuru Perera, Dr. Chandrathilake, Ms. Yashoravi Bakmeewewa, Mr. Suranga Samarasinghe, Mr. Pradeep Gunaratne, Mr. Chamith Jayasanka, Ms. Manique Gunaratne and Ms. Ayasana Gunasekera.
The Soft Skills training was conducted with the support of The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Nestle Lanka, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC, Sri Lankan Catering, Avery Denison Lanka, Jetwing Blue Hotel and National Institute of Mental Health.
Picture descriptions for vision impaired persons:
1 Dhananjaya conducting the session.
2 Participants.
3 Resource persons conducting the personal grooming session.
4 Teaching to ware saree.
5 Training table etiquettes.
6 Participants.
7 Sonali conducting the session.
8 Manique speaking.
9 Sewwandi conducting the session.
10 Participants enjoying a vedio.
11 Udaya conducting the session.
12 Sign language interpretation.
13 Isuru conducting the session.
14 Group of trainees.
15 Dr. Chandrathilake conducting the session.
16 Dr. Chandrathilake, Manique and Piyalatha.
17 Yashoravi conducting the session.
18 Group of trainees.
19 Dining ettiquets training.
20 Group photograph.
21 Pradeep conducting the session.
22 Participants.
23 Manique presenting.
24 Group photograph.
Manique Gunaratne
Resource Person – Beyond the Reach Project of Internet Society Sri Lanka Chapter
