Training

MDPAG have developed its own training programme with support from the Big Lottery which enables participants who successfully complete the programme to apply for the National Registe of Access Consultants (NRAC) accreditation as registered Access Consultants.
Our current access auditors follow the programme listed below to provide relevant information to clients to assist them in meeting legislative requirements, to meet best practice and to follow specialist local and national access guidance. We also provide priorities to help clients select the best action to meet Equality Act, Building Regulations and Health and Safety requirements as well as key access guidance including BS 8300 and Highways guidance.

The training programee ror disabled people on access auditing includes:

• Barriers – social and medical models of disability, impairment specific barriers for all impairments, neurodiversity, mental health, long term health issues and other people affected by barriers, other equality and diversity issues including age, disability, faith, gender reassignment, sex, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, working with LGBTQ+ and other communities
• Access audit skills – Visits, including use of MODES ⓒ MDPAG (Measuring/Assessing, Observing, Describing, Explaining, Standards), Identifying barriers including specialist areas, use of tools and equipment, terminology and report writing, recommendations and prioritising, mystery shopping and surveys, accessible websites, identifying priorities.
• Professional issues – contracts, referrals and limitations, confidentiality, feedback, liabilities and insurance, peer review, working with architects, designers, project managers, developers, other professionals, working with neighbourhood groups and local people, large projects, using Zoom and MS Teams
• Legislation, guidance, codes and standards – detailed information on local and national legislation, key guidance and specialist guidance
• Training – ongoing training in access audit skills, plans for a new programme starting 2025