Objective

UDIS Forum is a network of parents, persons with disabilities,professionals, and voluntary organisations for facilitating employment and empowerment of persons with disabilities. Though employment sector is the main focus of the Forum, it also works with the community to develop positive attitude towards disability. The Forum believes that awareness on disability created among the youth of the country will enable them to understand the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in the right perspective. Knowing about disability will also help them to inculcate the value of compassion, which is an essential ingredient of social service. One of the aims of the Forum is to train hundreds of volunteers amongst the students of schools and colleges who can workwith the community to project the abilities of persons with disabilities.

How does the programme work?
  • The Forum will organise a daylong orientation programme for young people of Youth Organisations, Colleges and Schools to work as resource persons to organise subsequent awareness programmes on disability management in educational institutions and community.
  • During the orientation programme, which is usually conducted on a Saturday or Sunday, professionals will address the students on the nature of various disability conditions, identification, what youth can do to help persons with disabilities, interacting with them, and promoting activities leading to their empowerment. During these sessions, persons with disabilities themselves will be brought to the classroom settings to interact with the volunteers. Each batch will include about 50-100 students.
  • At the end of the daylong programme, the volunteers will be provided with a small manual describing the points discussed during the orientation and also other aspects dealing with disability. The materials are simple to understand and also include a section for selfintrospection on how the volunteer would help persons with disabilities as a result of the training. On successful completion of the training, the students will also be given a Certificate.
  • The orientation programmes will be mostly institution-based. In case sufficient students are not available from a particular institute to undergo the programme, they will be asked to attend the same in another institute.
  • The students attending the orientation programmes will be provided course material, tea, and lunch. No travel expenses will be provided.
Expectations from the UDIS Volunteers

The UDIS Forum expects the following from these volunteers.

  • The volunteer is expected to share the knowledge he/she gained through the orientation programme with other persons.
  • The volunteers will be invited to take part in rallies, awareness creation activities, etc., during important days such as World Day of Disabled Persons, Youth Day, etc.
  • Inform the UDIS Forum details of persons with disabilities of all age groups in their localities who require services.
  • Tell industrial houses in the vicinity (if possible) the abilities of persons with disabilities.
  • Encourage friends and family members to buy products made by persons with disabilities in shops and exhibitions in order to help their rehabilitation.
What do the students gain by becoming a UDIS Volunteer?
  • Becoming a "UDIS Volunteer" is a testimony to the aptitude of the individual for a social cause.
  • The exposure to disability also helps the individuals to know about career opportunities that will help them to work with disabled persons.
  • They will experience a sense of satisfaction that they have played their role in empowering persons with disabilities.

Join Today! Become a proud "UDIS Volunteer"!!