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AN INTRODUCTION

Shauna Greely, Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a Past President of Chartered Accountants Ireland.

Diversity has become an area of significant focus in the business world. Businesses recognise that having a diverse workforce with a greater variety of talents and experiences enables them to adapt to dynamic markets and be more innovative. A focus on diversity also allows under-represented groups to get their fair share of opportunity, and opportunity is a critical word in this regard.

Chartered Accountants Ireland, through its Diversity and Inclusion Committee, ensures that the Institute focuses on the areas of diversity and inclusion that impact on and are important to its members. One diversity and inclusion initiative the Institute is involved with and which members may not be aware of relates to our involvement as one of the early business partners to a programme run by the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disability (TCPID).

Chartered Accountants Ireland is a proud supporter of the Trinity Centre

for People with Intellectual Disabilities. In this article, we hear from those involved

in the programme including Eavan Daly, who completed a very successful

internship with the Institute last year.

Over the past 10 years, the Institute has invited several students with intellectual disabilities to gain work experience in Chartered Accountants Ireland.

During my involvement with Chartered Accountants Ireland, I have been privileged to attend many events, meetings, courses and lectures where I have learned of the positive difference the Institute makes on accountancy, business and the wider community.

However, the event that stands out for me was my attendance at a presentation in the lecture hall of Chartered Accountants House given by a TCPID student. Eavan Daly has an intellectual disability and had completed many months of work experience with Chartered Accountants Ireland. Eavan gave a presentation on her experience and I was struck by that fact that, although this was her first job, Eavan was making a professional presentation in a lecture hall to a large group of colleagues. The experience led to many firsts for Eavan, and I was incredibly proud that Chartered Accountants Ireland made this possible.

PUTTING INCLUSION INTO PRACTICE

Shauna Greely

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AN EMPLOYER’S PERSPECTIVE

Bernard Delaney, Director of Human Resources at Chartered Accountants Ireland

Chartered Accountants Ireland is proud to be an enabler of the TCPID programme – not just because of the benefits for the students and our staff, but because it is the right thing to do. Our proximity to Trinity College Dublin allows us to offer a safe environment where students have a familiarity with the locality while providing just

I saw first-hand the benefits that participation in this programme has brought to Chartered Accountants Ireland as an organisation and the positive impact it has had on staff. Equally important are the enormous benefits afforded to Eavan and her family. The experience gave Eavan the independence and confidence to go to work each day with a staff ID card, a desk to sit at, a computer to log-in to, and buddies to have coffee or lunch with – things many of us take for granted.

There are many accountancy, financial services, legal and other business organisations already partnering with TCPID to offer internship and work experience. This programme provides such wide-ranging benefits that I would urge other organisations to consider getting involved.

THE TCPID PROGRAMME PROVIDES SUCH WIDE-RANGING BENEFITS THAT I WOULD URGE OTHER ORGANISATIONS TO CONSIDER GETTING INVOLVED.

enough challenge as they join a new workplace – a stressful event for most people.

Our employees gain hugely by working alongside people with a different perspective and life experience. It informs and enriches our work experience by being inclusive rather than just diverse, and helps us challenge our ingrained views and work habits. We are a member organisation that values the contribution of every individual; this programme is a win-win for us, and we are privileged to be involved.

MY WORK PLACEMENT WITH CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IRELAND

By Eavan Daly

Eavan Daly is my name, and I completed an 18-week work placement with Chartered Accountants Ireland in September 2017. I travelled alone by train from Drogheda to Dublin on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I worked from 10am to 12.30pm on both days.I loved the whole experience of making new friends, learning new skills and facing new challenges. Most of all, I loved feeling included and being part of the workforce.

In Chartered Accountants Ireland, I worked in reception as a member of the Conference and Facilities Team. It was my duty to meet and greet all visitors to the building. I showed them where to go or contacted the person they were looking for to let them know they were there. I received and signed for all deliveries and registered post. I emailed or rang the person whose delivery it was to let them know it had arrived. I visited the Publishing Department and sat in on a meeting, and I was invited to the President’s Dinner where I learned about networking. This was one of my highlights.

Eavan Daly and Shauna Greely

Eavan Daly with colleagues at Chartered Accountants Ireland

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A parent’s perspective

Olwen Daly, Eavan’s mother

Eavan’s family, friends and her local community are proud of her achievements and are grateful for, and appreciative of, those enlightened employers who choose to give her a chance.

To those who have no experience of anyone with intellectual disability, we believe that to become fully literate, as Eavan has, and to travel

alone from Co. Louth to Dublin is a magnificent achievement. It is the accumulation of thousands of tiny steps, often supported by extraordinary individuals and organisations. Marie Devitt along with the TCPID Graduate Placement Programme and supporting business partners fall firmly into this category.

Eavan’s goal is a job, and we know she will get there. Please continue to support her and other students in their endeavours.

I LOVED THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE OF MAKING NEW FRIENDS, LEARNING NEW SKILLS AND FACING NEW CHALLENGES. MOST OF ALL, I LOVED FEELING INCLUDED AND BEING PART OF THE WORKFORCE.

A COORDINATOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Marie Devitt, Pathways Coordinator at the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities

The Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities is an established not-for-profit organisation, operating a pioneering education programme for students with intellectual disabilities. We are part of the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin. Our Level 5 Certificate in Arts, Science and Inclusive Applied Practice covers a wide range of modules over two years. Our goal is to equip students with the requisite education and training for future employment or further education, allowing them to lead more independent lives.

We have established a robust network of business partners, including Chartered Accountants Ireland, who work with us to provide student work placements, mentoring, paid internships and, in some cases, permanent employment for our graduates.

At the end of my work experience, I gave a presentation. My work colleagues, guests from the broader working community and my mentors from Trinity came to see me.

Eavan has completed work placements in Chartered Accountants Ireland, Orix Aviation and Bank of Ireland.

Our business partners have allowed us to offer insight into potential career paths for our students and graduates. In the past, these young people were marginalised with few opportunities for meaningful paid employment. With the help of our partners, this is now changing. Not only are we able to offer supported career pathways for our students as they move on from Trinity College Dublin, but thanks to the range of the business partners, we can now offer them real choice and allow them to look at specific industries that might suit their particular interests and skills.

We developed the TCPID Graduate Internship Programme with the support of our partners. Since launching this programme on a pilot basis in January 2017, we have had over 23 paid graduate internships, five of which converted into permanent roles.

In addition to these permanent roles, a number of our graduates have been in paid internships with our business partners for more than six months with their contracts renewed. Our ultimate goal is to find permanent roles for those who want them and transition pathways into further education for those who may wish to explore other options.

Our business partners are a core part of our programme and have supported us in many ways. We are looking to expand our network of partners to help increase the options available to our students and graduates. Together with our TCPID business partners, we can make a real difference and build true inclusion within the workplace and within society.

For further information about how your company can become a part of the TCPID Business Partners Programme, contact Marie Devitt, TCPID Pathways Coordinator at devittma@tcd.ie or (01) 896 3885.

Eavan Daly with Marie Byrne and Debora Keating.