Citizens Information Board and Down Syndrome Ireland announce important new collaboration.

Citizens Information Board (CIB) and Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI) today announced an important new collaboration between the two organisations.

CIB’s Advocacy Standards and Development Team and Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI) will work together on the development of a series of seminars and trainings on how CIB and its service delivery companies - Citizens Information Services, Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS), National Traveller MABS, MABS Support, National Advocacy Services for People with Disabilities, Register for Irish Sign Language Interpreters, Sign Language Interpreting Services - can support people with Down syndrome and their families. CIB’s Public Sector Duty Group, which promotes awareness of human rights and equality issues for CIB staff, CIB’s service delivery companies and the public hopes to develop similar initiatives in the coming months.

As part of their 2022 -2025 Strategy, “Working Together for a Brighter Future”, DSI are working to make the necessary supports and services available to people with Down syndrome via key service providers so that they are consistent, effective and responsive to their needs.

Lucia Venturi, Advocacy Standards and Development at CIB, welcomed the announcement: “CIB is delighted to work with Down Syndrome Ireland on a project which will allow us to improve and support the lives of people with Down syndrome through CIB services. This collaboration will see training provided to our service delivery companies to enhance access to information for people with Down syndrome and their families in many different areas including employment, education, social welfare and housing.”

John Condon, Head of Adult Education at Down Syndrome Ireland responded to the announcement: “As a national organisation, one of our core objectives is ensuring that people with Down syndrome have all the information and resources they require to make daily decisions and reach their full potential in areas like education, health and employment. In parallel, we work to make these structures accessible and inclusive. Through the provision of awareness and training to CIB, our members will be better served as equal citizens as they fully participate in their communities and society – we’re thrilled to be collaborating with CIB on this initiative.”

CIB and DSI will develop Down syndrome awareness training for service delivery companies staff and an e-learning course which will be rolled out in September 2023.