TCPID Second Year Students Host Disability Rights Event, Welcoming Senator Tom Clonan and Fintan Bray

The second year students in the TCPID held their annual Disability Rights event on April 11th. The event took place in the TCPID in 3 College Green. The students chose the theme of Pathways from Education to Employment. They invited guests Dr. Tom Clonan, Trinity College Dublin Senator and Fintan Bray, the first person with Down Syndrome to be elected to government in Ireland.

Additional guests included the first year TCPID students and the TCPID teaching team, including Disability Rights module coordinators, Dr. Vivian Rath, Dr. Patricia McCarthy, and Des Aston, as well as ASIAP course coordinator Dr. Donatella Camedda.

The event opened with Professor Michael Shevlin welcoming guests on behalf of the School of Education and the TCPID. Professor Shevlin then introduced the students who organized the event.

In their presentation, the students highlighted barriers and enablers in education and employment for people with intellectual disabilities. They demonstrated the value of their learning in the ASIAP course and discussed their work experiences with the TCPID business partners.

The class statements included:

"We want to work! We love to learn!"

and

"We want the future to be better for people with disabilities in employment and education.".

Students highlighted their core values as: Inclusion, Respect, Patience, and Kindness.

Following their presentation, students engaged in a question-and-answer session with their invited guests, Tom Clonan and Fintan Bray. Each student had prepared thoughtful questions and prompted insightful answers from Dr. Clonan and Mr. Bray.