A CHARITY which delivers disability training across the UK has teamed up with Northern (Arriva Rail North) to deliver staff disability awareness training.

The partnership with Enhance the UK includes formal in-classroom training for new staff including conductors, gateline and ticket office staff and includes a full day of disability awareness training by instructors with a disability themselves.

This gives attendees real-life experiences and focuses on improving their communication skills when speaking to and helping disabled customers using rail services.

Training teams from Enhance along with Northern colleagues have also travelled to 18 main stations across the Northern network with disability roadshows.

These were based in the stations and gave staff an introduction to disability awareness, with some fun exercises and engaging content to help give staff the confidence to interact with customers with physical and sensory disabilities.

Enhance the UK is a user-led charity which offers disability awareness training delivered by people who have a disability, who can evoke real life experiences.

Enhance CEO Jennie Williams, said: “This is a great move by the largest train operator in the UK to take positive steps in the right direction. We know that by helping staff improve how to interact with their disabled customers, this will give them a better experience on their journey.”

Dan Edwards, Northern’s head of customer experience, said: “As well as this partnership, which has already seen many of our current and new colleagues receive awareness training on a wide range of disabilities, we continue to co-chair our inclusivity forum and work with industry partners to improve accessibility on the Northern network.”