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 PADI
is a group of people - both disabled and non-disabled - who since
1987 have been committed to education and awareness on disability
issues in both the academic and business worlds.
Physical disability is a fact of life! Conservative estimates
indicate that as much as 12% of the South African population experience
some form of disability.
There are many causes of disability - some are genetic while others
may be the result of accidents at home or in the workplace. The
startling increase in violence over the past decade is another major
contributing factor.
As a person with a disability, society fails to see you and focuses
upon the wheelchair, calipers, white cane etc. Many people, after
becoming disabled, have found that friends are uncomfortable in
their company and tend to fade into obscurity.
Often "well meaning" non-disabled people make decisions
for the person with the disability, believing that they are doing
the right thing. We must be
able to speak for ourselves and make our own choices – that
is our right!
PADI concentrates on changing society's perceptions about disabilities.
Through experiential learning seminars of simulated exercises and
discussions, the PADI team constantly strives to heighten the awareness
and acceptance of disabled people in all sectors of South Africa.
By creating the awareness that people with disabilities are capable,
independent and able to make a valuable contribution to the community,
the PADI team enable non-disabled people to understand the needs
and aspirations of disabled people.
The PADI Team enables non disabled people to understand, through
education
and awareness, that people with disabilities are capable, independent
and
able to make a valuable contribution to their community.
In the future, children with disabilities, wherever possible,
will be mainstreamed instead of automatically being placed in special
schools. PADI aims to make this integration as effective as possible
for all learners and school personnel.
Experiential Learning Seminars are being presented to school
children where they are given the opportunity to experience various
disabilities through simulated exercises. Opportunity is given
for the children to ask questions of the facilitators which are
answered factually and in a sensitive manner
All the PADI Facilitators are people with disabilities as we
believe that
only through knowledge of oneself and life experiences can they
give honest
and sensitive answers.
PADI increased its client base to include not only school children
but also:
With the implementation of the Employment Equity Act, corporate
companies have been added to the list of clients. PADI is now
focusing on the development of people with disabilities into the
open labour market through training seminars. It is the aim of
PADI to create an understanding environment for the existing employees
and the new disabled staff. It is natural to be afraid of things
that we do not understand and the seminars aim to rectify this.
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