The NCIL Accessibility Survey Academy Project (NCIL ASAP) is now scheduling training dates with sites around the country! The Project development started with Beta Testing of the training content and concept back in November of 2014 with the Bay Area Center for Independent Living in Salisbury, Maryland and continuing into 2015, with the inaugural NCIL ASAP training event presented in West Virginia by NCIL and the WVSILC in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the ADA! The Beta Class has already completed additional training to be certified in providing fee-for-service surveys and has begun work in their communities! The Inaugural Class participants are getting additional training, some of them focused on Emergency Shelters for a project they want to pursue. The first classes have provided evaluations and feedback that we have used to make adjustments to the content, and we are ready to pursue training locations for 2016!
Goals of the Training Project include:
- To have Center Staff trained on measuring/surveying for accessibility as well as reporting formats to provide results and recommendations from surveys.
- To increase referrals to for-profit or fee-for-service projects and other opportunities for Centers for Independent Living.
- To establish advocacy-driven networks of trained individuals within the IL Movement – with continuing education opportunities and regular communications regarding current issues relevant to accessibility.
The ultimate goal is for Centers to return to being the premier resource in the community for accessibility advice and survey services. The initial ASAP training is a three day intensive survey training, providing a foundation for accessibility surveyors, conducted the first year by nationally known accessibility trainer/consultant Mark Derry. For additional information, contact Mark at [email protected], and watch for announcements of training locations in the Weekly Advocacy Monitor and on the NCIL website.
