CHENNAI: In the wake of increased awareness on the employability of persons with disabilities (PwD) in corporate and mainstream sectors, a unique venture was started to provide adequate training for deserving students. Talent Academy for the Differently-Abled was launched at St Louis Institute for the Deaf, Adyar, by the team We Are Your Voice, a group of professionals who help PwDs.
The launch was supported by several organisations like Opportunity Infotech, NGO Ooruni Foundation, in addition to having senior director of Flex Sabuj Chaudhury, TV anchor Erode Mahesh, founder of Headway Foundation Raghavi Shankar, and regional lead at NASSCOM V Udaya
Sankar in attendance. The chief guest was Christina Augustine, director-HR, Global Human Resource (Virtusa POLARIS).
“Last February, we launched a programme bringing together HR professionals across Chennai to organise a job fair that resulted in 71 disabled students being employed,” said Rathinavel Rajan, Ooruni Foundation. “The academy aims to follow that same vein by honing their talents as per corporate requirements, help cultivate entrepreneurship capabilities, and self-reliance.”
Christina shed light on how the academy can now foster diversity and awareness. “Diversity does not mean gender alone. It is high time for corporates to tap into the talents of the disabled community, while at the same time ensuring that the infrastructure they develop will be inclusive in nature,” she said, adding that few mainstream sectors and offices have devices and policies that help those with disabilities.
“Out of the disabled population, only 0.05% is literate and employable,” said Raghavi Shankar. The academy’s programmes include talent development, one-on-one mentorship for students, training for teachers, and increasing responsiveness from corporates. The event also displayed works of art by the students of St Louis Institute.