The Disability Awareness Program is a pilot project of APD that aims to create awareness in the community about differently-abled people.

Till date, the program has been conducted for students of Deccan International School, National Public School, Vincent Pallotti School, Shri Vidya Public High School, Jyothi English and Kannada High School, Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, Holy Shepherd Education Society, Centre for Learning (CFL) and Yogeswarananda School. Over 700 students and 50 teachers have attended the programme.

Aim of the program

The target age group for the program is 10-17 years. The programme hopes to positively influence and impact the attitudes and behaviour of the youngsters towards the differently-abled. They are after all the next generation of decision-makers – employers, service providers, business owners, advocates, policymakers – teachers, colleagues, neighbours and friends.

Program activities

The event starts with an introduction of APD programs and disability, how to deal with the issue and how to be sensitive to people with disability.

Team games are organized where students are given an opportunity to experience degrees of disabilities using blindfolds, making them sit on a wheelchair or learning Basic Sign Language. After each activity, there are sessions to reflect, experiences are shared, and the positive aspects of inclusion are discussed.

Students are shown a short movie on APD to make them aware of the various activities carried out at APD to support differently-abled people from economically marginalized communities. Lastly, students enjoy a nature walk at the Kyalasanahalli N S Hema Horticulture Training Centre.

Program feedback

The students and teachers enjoyed learning basic sign language and participating in the games. The feedback from the students and teachers was very positive and they have expressed a desire for such activities more frequently.

APD is planning to organize more such activities in other schools to increase awareness and promote inclusion of differently-abled children in the schools as well as the community.

Please find below a few glimpses of the Disability Awareness Program.

Get in touch with Shanigar at shanigar@apd-india.org to arrange the Disability Awareness Program at your school.