Bengaluru: CBM India Trust, a leading non-profit organisation, has been actively running a training programme on Community-Based Inclusive Development as a Rehabilitation Council of India-approved training institute. The course is co-designed by the Rehabilitation Council of India and the University of Melbourne, Australia. It equips individuals aspiring to become accredited disability rehabilitation professionals with essential skills to support and work with persons with disabilities, their families, and organisations to ensure their full participation in their community.
The curriculum covers a diverse range of subjects, empowering participants to identify and support persons with disabilities early on in their communities and to coordinate and assist in the delivery of various government schemes and programmes, such as the Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme and the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre initiative. Focusing on key areas—Inclusive Community Development, Assessment and Intervention, and Professional Behaviour and Reflective Practice—the certificate course aims to instil comprehensive knowledge and practical skills. The sessions are led by disability inclusion professionals, senior members of the CBM India Trust team and other experts bringing substantial expertise to the training programme.
Sony Thomas, Executive Director of CBM India Trust, expressed enthusiasm about the programme’s potential impact, stating, “This initiative recognises the importance of ensuring access to good quality services for all, to build stronger communities. Through this comprehensive training programme, participants will acquire essential skills to serve as facilitators, building a bridge between important policies and schemes by the government and persons with disabilities.” He further adds, ‘‘This initiative is a testament to CBM India Trust’s commitment to building a society that respects and includes persons with disabilities in all aspects of community life.’’
Smt. Yamuna D., District Disabled Welfare Officer, Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, Bengaluru Urban District, and In Charge as Assistant Commissioner, Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Act, Government of Karnataka, shares her insights into the impact of the training programme on the participants. She says, “Their knowledge has improved significantly after completing this insightful course. What is even more exciting is the exponential growth in their curiosity and proactiveness. They are now more passionate about working with the community and, consequently, more result-oriented.”
The current cohort consists of 40 individuals aspiring to work in the field of disability rehabilitation and are presently in the training phase. Those who complete the course are eligible to be recognised as qualified rehabilitation professionals and are registered in the Central Rehabilitation Register, maintained by the Rehabilitation Council of India.
