1. Ita Cunningham, John Kelly, Padraig O Haolain and
Communication Awareness Programme (CAP): Raising awareness of communication disability among catering staff
Clare Carroll1, Nicole Guinan1, Elaine Higgins1, Margaret Malarney1, Hannah Loughnane11, Denise Mulheir1, Emma Boyle1, Esther Gyamfi2, Libby Kinneen3, Patricia Collins3 and Rena Lyons1
1Discipline of Speech and Language Therapy, National University of Ireland, Galway,
2Discpline of Law and Disability, National University of Ireland, Galway
3Health Service Executive, Galway.
Background
Results
Participants talked about their positive and negative experiences in relation to ordering food in restaurants and coffee shops. For example, avoiding ordering, catering staff asking a carer what the person with communication disability wanted, not having enough time to take/get order.
Health education involves educating and raising awareness of health issues and is a core aspect of the broader concept of health promotion (WHO 2001). Speech and Language therapists should raise local and public awareness of communication impairments by means of educational and training packages (RCSLT 2005, p. 100). There is currently no system or training available for the catering or hospitality sectors to facilitate interactions with customers who have communication impairments.
Phase 1
Phase 2
Objectives
This project aimed to design and implement a communication awareness training solution to promote participation of people with communication impairments in their local community by raising awareness of communication disability among catering staff. The project also aimed to empower people with communication disabilties to go into catering establishments and place their order with confidence.
Methods
Phase 3
Data Collection:
Focus groups and interviews with people with communication disability
Interviews with catering staff and catering managers
Identified facilitators and barriers to communication in restaurants
Phase 1
Phase 4
Following the training catering staff:
Were more aware of the different kinds of communication disability
Felt the training would be beneficial for all staff to attend      
‘Great project – keep it going’
Felt more confident about dealing with people with communication disability ‘because I know what to do’
Learned techniques to support conversations
Suggested that changes in relation to how staff interact with people with communication disability is important as well as changes in the environment e.g., menus, signage, noise
Key messages were: relax, look at me, give me time, a paper and pen might be useful, write the word down, pictures, don’t finish the words for me
Phase 2
Designed the CAP training programme based on two core principles:
People with communication disability have a right to communicate their needs
To empower catering staff  
Conclusion
Following the training staff were more aware of communication disability and learned techniques and identified changes they could make in their restaurant environment. By modifying the general communicative environment inclusion of people within service encounters may be enhanced. Partnerships between NUIG and people with communications and catering staff have great potential.
Phase 3
Two CAP training sessions were delivered in partnership between speech and language therapy students and people with communication disabilities. 10 catering staff attended the training.
References
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) (2005) RCSLT Clinical Guidelines Speechmark Publications Ltd, UK.
World Health Organisation (WHO) (2001) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: ICF. World Health Organisation, Geneva.
·Phase 4
Acknowledgements
The training was evaluated using feedback questionnaires.
Ita Cunningham, John Kelly, Padraig O Haolain and
Conor Tiernan