GFD Holds Training session for Personal Assistants in Ghana
On July 5, 2024, the We Can Work program, a youth economic empowerment initiative implemented in seven African countries, held a training session for Personal Assistants (PAs) of the youth participating in the We Can Work Academy in Ghana. The training took place at the Accra Rehabilitation Center in Adabraka, Accra.
The purpose of the training was to equip PAs with the skills needed to adequately support the persons with disabilities they are assisting. Rebecca Nunoo, Disability Inclusion Advisor of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), who facilitated the session, emphasized that for PAs to meet the expectations of their caring role, they must have access to evidence-based training. The training aims to ensure that PAs deliver safe, compassionate, person-centered care that respects and maintains the dignity and human rights of the individuals for whom they are responsible.
Participants were taken through topics such as learning to be patient in aiding, moving and handling, safeguarding, and understanding persons with disabilities with specialized needs.
According to Rebecca Nunoo, “Personal Assistants of persons with disabilities help with routine activities of daily living that include, but are not limited to, activities of daily living, equipment setup, communication assistance, mobility assistance, office duties, and transportation.” She added that PAs are very important to how well persons with disabilities function.
The We Can Work program is part of the Mastercard Foundation’s broader Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young people to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. The initiative is being implemented in Ghana by the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations
