International
Accessible Kenya
Mission
Accessibility and inclusion are becoming the new watchwords across the world. To bring a large section of society, which has remained neglected for centuries, to mainstream life and economic activities, accessible public infrastructure is the first step forward. It is commendable that many countries are taking steps to make their public infrastructure accessible, Kenya being one of them.
Svayam has collaborated with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Govt. of Kenya, for “promoting accessibility in the public infrastructure of Kenya to make mobility and transportation more inclusive and to realise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” To add wings to the National Council’s efforts in achieving greater accessibility in Kenya’s public infrastructure and services, Svayam and the National Council have jointly launched a detailed action plan titled ‘Accessible Kenya Mission, with the aim of contributing to the capacity building of stakeholders and facilitating the strategies for achieving accessibility in the built environment, public transportation, and services in Kenya.
To this end, Svayam will conduct accessibility training courses to prepare a fleet of access auditors, both from the social development sector and public officials who are engaged in creating, managing, or monitoring the public infrastructure.
About the Basic Access Auditor Course:
As Kenya is aspiring to provide a more inclusive and friendly built environment to people of all ages and abilities, the need for professionals who have expertise on the specific needs of people with disabilities is growing. Traditional courses in rehabilitation, medical and paramedical, civil engineering, design, architecture, special education, etc. do not exhaustively cover the subject. The NCPWD has a mandate to issue adjustment orders to ensure accessibility in existing buildings; however, there is a shortage of hands who can evaluate a built environment and offer recommendations to make the environment accessible.
This 3- to 5-day unique crash course based on ISO 21542 (an approved standard by Govt. of Kenya) fills that gap and will prepare a fleet of trained basic access auditors who could be deployed for access audits of the built environment to promote accessibility in the public infrastructure of Kenya to realise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The courses are being organised by NCPWD Kenya in collaboration with Svayam-Global Centre for Inclusive Environments, India.
Minimum Eligibility
- Education: A Graduate Degree in Science, Design, Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Social Sciences, Rehabilitation, or a related field.
- Age: 21- 51 years
- Experience: Minimum 5 to 10 years in the sector
Nationality: Kenyan or any other African nation
- Education: A Graduate Degree in Science, Design, Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Social Sciences, Rehabilitation, or a related field.
- Age: 21- 51 years
- Experience: Minimum 5 to 10 years in the sector
- Nationality: Kenyan or any other African nation
Preference to :
- Exposure in Developmental sector;
- Persons with disabilities
- Public Officials dealing with built environment
Selection Process
Applications received within the stipulated time frame are scrutinised, and telephonic or video interviews are conducted to further analyze the suitability of the candidates for the course. Seats are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The decision of the Chief Coordinator, Accessible Kenya Mission, on the selection of a candidate for the course is final and not open to adjudication.
Course duration and requirements
This course is full-time and runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Kenya. The days are long and busy with course work, assessments, and field visits. The candidates, therefore, must be able to withstand the course requirements. The candidates also have to individually pass both the theory and practical examinations (minimum qualifying marks of 60%) for successful completion of the course.
Course Fee
No fee is charged for this course at this moment; however, the selected candidates have to make their own arrangements for travel to the training venue. Tea, snacks, and lunch are provided. The candidates completing the course are required to undertake at least 10 access audits of buildings identified by the National Council free of charge and submit access audit reports as their contribution to the Accessible Kenya Mission.
Certification and Inclusion in the List of Basic Access Auditors
The successful candidates at the end of the training are issued a Certificate of “Basic Access Auditor” jointly by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, the Government of Kenya, and Svayam, the Global Centre for Inclusive Environments, India. After the successful training, the candidates remain on probation and are required to complete at least access audits of 10 public buildings under the guidance of Svayam and submit the reports to NCPWD for remedial action. On successful completion of the 10 access audits duly accepted by NCPWD/Svayam, the name of the auditor is entered on the Register of Access Auditors under the Accessible Kenya Mission.
A certified candidate will be competent to conduct access appraisals of the built environment from the perspective of its usability by persons with disabilities and make recommendations consonant with the requirements of ISO 21542 and the National Act on Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2003. The certified candidates will undertake to actively engage in conducting the access audit of the built environment under the Inclusive Kenya Mission’ to help achieve an accessible Kenya for all.
Report on the First Course
The first course in this series was conducted on June 24-28, 2019 at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Nairobi, Kenya. For a report on the programme, visit here.
Watch out for details of the next Access Auditor’s Training in Nairobi, Kenya. Training is being planned for November 2019, and an update will soon be shared seeking applications.