Draft Disability Action Plan 2026-2029

8.1 We have reviewed the delivery of the previous Disability Action Plan to explore the format used, actions delivered and the outcomes achieved. This took some time to talk to all of our main stakeholders and some actions in this new Disability Action Plan 2026-2029 are already being delivered.

As part of this review, we analysed actions completed and noted patterns in what the actions had achieved, which went well beyond the scope of the legal requirements required. These patterns included mainstreaming of actions into ‘business as usual’ and shared outcomes. The review was driven by our Elected Members and marked a cultural change from a focus on process to outcomes based. From this review we have now established four outcomes, the information below provides examples of actions previously delivered and gives an explanation of the outcome achieved.

Outcome one: Delivering for our communities  

An assessment of actions delivered up to 2026 demonstrated patterns that informed the outcome called delivering for our communities.

We have demonstrated a real commitment to ensuring that our services, facilities, information and engagement opportunities are accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. This included improving physical accessibility across community centres and council venues, maintaining Sign Language Video Relay (VRS) and Video Remote Interpreting Services (VRI), and providing practical support such as assisted-lifted bin collections for eligible residents.

Other actions in the period up to 2026 included community, leisure, cultural, and summer programmes providing opportunities for children, young people, older people, and adults with physical, mental health, or learning disabilities to participate fully in community life. We also work with disability and community organisations to increase participation in cultural activities, enterprise, and wider community programmes.

Accessible communication remains a key priority. Information is available in alternative formats, including British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL). Our website is maintained in line with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Accessibility is also incorporated into engagement through the Your Say platform, City Hall tours, visitor exhibitions, and the review of the Inclusive Events Checklist.

Collectively, these measures demonstrate our commitment to removing barriers, promoting equality and participation, and ensuring that people with disabilities can access services with dignity, respect, and appropriate support.

As a public authority, we need to understand the evolving needs of all of our communities so that we can use resources effectively to promote equality and participation. Belfast is a diverse city and services should be proactive, consider long-term outcomes and treat everyone with respect.

We know that improvements in delivering for our communities need to continue. The Disability Action Plan 2026-2029 details actions to be delivered that contribute to this outcome, which is summarised as:

This outcome - delivering for our communities - highlights the important role of responsive services in good customer care. This is about acknowledging the needs of different people when integrating equality objectives into service design.

Outcome two: Knowing our communities 

When assessing actions delivered up to 2026, it was clear that progress had been made towards an outcome we have called knowing our communities. We have worked closely with disability organisations to develop targeted outreach initiatives that encourage and support people with disabilities to explore enterprise opportunities and consider starting their own businesses.

We also engage with a broad range of organisations to strengthen and promote inclusive access to cultural activities, ensuring that people with disabilities can participate fully. Developing services from evidence informed by D/deaf and disabled people has been strengthened with the Disability Advisory Panel and Sign Language Users Forum meetings, which provide an important opportunity for engagement, dialogue, and feedback. Accessibility will remain a key priority, including ensuring that the Your Say engagement platform is accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities, enabling their views and experiences to inform decision-making.

Understanding the diverse needs across a range of disabilities has developed and will remain a focus, exploring the interaction between positive attitudes and participation, with data development. Using reliable data is important because, without appropriate equality information, there is a risk that decisions will be based on assumptions or stereotypes rather than evidence. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a strict privacy and security law brings challenges to the area of knowing your communities as well as gaps in data disaggregation in Northern Ireland.

The knowing our communities outcome emphasises the importance of information in understanding and working with our communities. This includes effective community engagement, collecting and analysing data and sharing information.

Outcome three: Leadership 

Strong strategic leadership is fundamental to creating a clear vision for achieving meaningful improvements in equality outcomes. These are evidenced through our strategic programmes where equality screenings are developed in parallel. Our councillors have a particularly important role in ensuring that equality is embedded within our strategic priorities, performance arrangements and decision-making processes, such as our corporate plan.

Effective partnership working is also central to addressing local inequalities and the Belfast Agenda provides a robust framework. The key role that D/deaf and disabled people play in Belfast with a significant increase in awareness of the need for accessibility to promote participation. An increasing awareness can lead to more positive attitudes towards D/deaf and disabled people, with visibility and understanding of the need to remove barriers before we can promote disability inclusion.

Our websites are maintained in line with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2 AA). We have appointed a Senior Reporting Officer (SRO) at director level for website accessibility and have introduced a new position of Senior Online Accessibility and Compliance Officer. Our websites are reviewed daily for accessibility issues. We carry out manual accessibility testing after major web updates, by commissioning user testing with real users with real disabilities. 

The leadership outcome acknowledges the important role of guidance and direction from elected members and directors. Partnerships and collaboration are recognised as key mechanisms to making improvements, in addition to using tools to address inequalities, such as equality screening. Monitoring and scrutiny of the content of the action plans are prioritised.

Outcome four: Diverse and skilled workforce

As part of our work to promote equality and diversity, there are disability awareness and wellbeing programmes to provide ongoing support to employees with disabilities and their managers, offering advice and guidance on reasonable adjustment requirements to help ensure an inclusive and supportive working environment. Through the quarterly Disability Staff Network (ABLE), employees have an opportunity to connect, share experiences and contribute to the development of disability-inclusive practices across the organisation.

A range of communication and awareness initiatives are also delivered to promote greater understanding and inclusion. These include Makaton and JAM Card communication courses for employees, alongside disability awareness training programmes and e-learning opportunities. The programme also supports our venues participating in the Autism NI Impact Award, helping them to identify and implement the reasonable adjustments required to better support people with learning disabilities.

Mental health and wellbeing remain an important part of the programme. Mental health awareness support is provided to employees, with additional training available for managers to help them effectively recognise and manage stress and mental health issues within their teams. This is complemented by a dedicated health and wellbeing page on Interlink, providing employees with accessible information, guidance and resources to support their health and wellbeing.

We take action to ensure that they reflect the aspirations of disability access and inclusion in the role as an employer. This means that not only do our human resources (HR) policies and procedures reflect good practice in equality and diversity, but also that anyone who applies to the organisation or who works for it feels confident that they are treated fairly.

The diverse and skilled workforce outcome promotes workforce diversity and inclusion through forums and policies. Workforce data will be collected and analysed as a tool to make improvements. Learning and development are promoted continuously to keep pace with changing workplace environments.