Training & disability: Equal access to education

Choosing a career and academic path is not easy and students are confronted with it very early on. When you have a disability and certain accommodations are required, the choice can be even more complex.
However, it seems obvious that the freedom to choose one's career path must be accessible to all under the best possible conditions. For people with disabilities, several organisations and support solutions (including funding) facilitate access to training in France.

Definition and recognition of disability

Disability is multifaceted: it can be motor, visual, auditory, psychological, intellectual or the result of an illness. It results from both an impairment and/or a disability.

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The Agefiph's guide to disability and training provides the following definitions:

- Impairment: Impairment refers to the injury and the resulting deficit. It may be permanent or temporary.

- Motor impairment. Impairment due to a disabling disease. Hearing impairment. Visual impairment. Intellectual disability. Psychological impairment, or mental illness.

- Disability is the total or partial reduction in the ability to perform an activity in a context considered "normal".

Disability is the consequence of an inability (deficit in functional performance) that makes it difficult to fulfil expected roles in society, depending on an individual's age and gender. *A disability is any limitation of activity or restriction of participation in society suffered in the environment by a person due to a substantial, lasting or permanent impairment of one or more physical, sensory, mental, cognitive or psychological functions, a multiple disability or a disabling health disorder.  

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Which organisations can support me?

It's decided, this year you want to train and develop new skills.

But how do you know where to turn for support in submitting your application or financing your training?

There are three main bodies to be aware of:

- The MDPH or Maison Départementale pour les Personnes Handicapées (Departmental House for the Disabled): this is the body where you can have your disability recognised. However, the MDPH has a broader role, since its purpose is to welcome and listen to people with disabilities. It also allocates certain allowances and can centralise your various requests for financial aid or put you in contact with the appropriate organisations (CPAM, CAF, CDAPH, etc.).

- Caisse d'Allocation Familiale(CAF): in addition to paying the Allocation Adulte Handicapé (AAH), it grants additional aid on request.

- TheAgefiph or Association de gestion du fonds pour l'insertion professionnelle des personnes handicapées (Association for the management of the fund for the professional integration of disabled people) allows, as its name indicates, to take steps to find a job or build a professional project. In addition, it is possible to obtain financial aid to undertake or follow a training course.

This list is not exhaustive. Indeed, it should be noted that some regional councils also help with funding. To find out about the range of allowances and assistance to which you are entitled, the first place to turn is to the MDPH in your department, which will be best able to answer your questions and direct you to the right people.

My expectations of the training organisation 

In addition to financial assistance, it is important to know your rights.

As Agefiph reminds us in its Handicap and Training Guide, " Since the Handicap Act, any disabled person, unless medically contraindicated, must be able to access any training or validation of his or her skills, on pain of penal and financial sanctions. The training organisation must adapt its systems accordingly (decree n° 2006-26 of 9 January 2006).

Thus, training organisations must put in place measures to best accommodate learners with disabilities. These measures may be administrative, technical, educational, human or even financial.

In addition, the training centre is obliged to have a member of the teaching staff dedicated to supporting people with disabilities. As a referent, his/her role is to listen, inform and help the learner. He or she is also there to act as a relay between the various players in the organisation and can set up action plans.

On the other hand, if you do not wish to talk about your disability (type, causes, treatments, etc.), you should know that you are protected by a right to confidentiality. In this regard, Agefiph states in its Guide Handicap et Formation: " The person with a disability is under no obligation to indicate the nature of his or her disability. If they do, it is a sign of confidence. It is necessary to ensure that the confidentiality of the information provided is respected.

The Nocode: a sector focused on inclusion and accessibility for all

Have you ever thought about working in digital? Tech jobs are appreciated for the great flexibility they offer (remote work, low physical strain, etc.). While some positions require a technical background, Nocode is accessible without pre-requisites and aims to integrate a wider variety of profiles into tech. Currently booming, thanks in particular to a high rate of employability, and being in essence inclusive, Nocode is the revolution to follow in employment.

Indeed, Nocode aims at democratising technology and software development to allow everyone to create websites, applications, digital solutions of all kinds. You no longer need to be a computer engineer or know how to code to design and develop digital products.

Inclusiveness is the key value of this new discipline. Nocode has been designed to simplify and make software development fun through block systems, highly visual platforms and intuitive paths or actions, the flexibility to test easily...

the Alegria.academy: the promise of accessible training

At Alegria, we decided to focus on Nocode. After creating a studio to serve companies, we launched our own school, Alegria.academy. We offer 100% financed, professional and paid training. Our goal is to train 25,000 professional Nocode Makers by 2025.

The aim of our approach is to train students in accessible and inclusive technology, without financial barriers, thanks to the various financing solutions and the paid work-study programme found for students before they start their studies.

The training lasts one year and is divided into two parts: the first part lasts 3 months to train our learners in the various Nocode tools, followed by 9 months of alternating work experience during which the learner puts his or her knowledge into practice, on concrete cases, within partner companies.

No prerequisites are required to ensure access to the widest possible audience and the most diverse profiles. We study each application carefully and take the time to discuss it with you by telephone.

If you are inspired by this promising profession, simply fill in the form here. 

If you have any questions about accessibility, please do not hesitate to contact our Disability Officer at handicap@alegria.tech. We will be delighted to answer all your questions.

The school is located in the heart of Paris in the Marais. The premises are on the ground floor and all the facilities are compliant with inclusive accommodation and easily accessible. We will be opening more training centres throughout France for maximum accessibility.