Ability Fest Home Page

Ability Fest '07

Brochures

Exhibition

Exhibitors

Prize Draw

Workshops

Completing the Jigsaw : Involving Employers

Exhibitor Survey

In June/July we asked the 88 organisations that had exhibited at Ability Fest to complete a short on-line survey.
We received 59 replies representing a 67% response rate.

Exhibitor Survey Summary Word /PDF

In July we surveyed some of the people who had visited to Ability Fest. The results of this survey will be available shortly.

Interim Report

Approximately 1000 people participated in Ability Fest '07. Preliminary feedback indicates that the new venue and the increase in the number of workshops was much appreciated by visitors and exhibitors alike.

Exhibition

This year Ability Fest centred round an Exhibition of 90 organisations that can support disabled people to take up opportunities for learning, employment and leisure in the community. There was something of interest to people with any type of disability whether it is physical impairment, learning difficulty, mental ill-health and/or sensory impairment. Exhibitng Organisations covered a wide age range from young people particularly those in transition from secondary school, to adults seeking learning, employment, volunteering and leisure opportunities. There was no upper age limit.

Workshops

This year the sphere of interest was extended to include employers. We took this step because it supports local and national initiatives aimed at helping people to find employment and come off benefit. The Discussion Workshops at Ability Fest were ideal event to inform disabled people about these developments and to allow them to have their say on how best to make them work.The Discussion Workshops proved very popular and we have received good feedback about them

But Ability Fest was not all serious and our new venue allowed us to extend the range of Creative Workshops. As a result, this year we offered a range of art, dance, drama, drumming, music-making and singing workshops throughout the day. These were very well-attended and going from the noise levels were well received.

For visitors interested in Information Technology there was plenty of opportunity to find out about a variety of hardware and software to help disabled people use computers from the Momentum Technology Roadshaw, AbilityNet and Concept Northern

Our New Venue

Ability Fest '07 moved to a new venue in Glasgow City Centre. The Radisson-SAS Hotel is in Argyle Street diagonally across from the Low Level entrance to Central Station. It is unmistakeable with its impressive green copper frontage. There is a dropping off area at the main entrance and several multi-story carparks in the vicinity. The conference suite is on the first floor, served by 3 lifts. There is one large Exhibition Hall, foyer space for refreshments and quiet chill-out areas and various breakout rooms. These allowed to arrange a wider range of workshops than in previous years. There are 2 public wheelchair accessible WCs and an accessible bedroom on the second floor was made available to Ability Fest visitors requiring personal care facilities.