PERSONS living with disabilities will soon benefit from a new training and empowerment centre dubbed the “Learning Lab,” which is slated to open on May 22.

The announcement was made by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud on the sidelines of the CopSquad2000 graduation ceremony hosted at the National Cultural Centre on Friday.

“We are opening what we call the “Learning Lab” a centre for training and empowerment for persons living with disabilities on the 22nd of this month. His Excellency will be there to open that institution and there we are expecting members of the various communities of persons living with disabilities to utilise this,” Minister Persaud said.

Minister Persaud and Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, along with members of the Blind and Deaf Association, and Council for Disabilities examined the building in April.

The goal was to identify the specific needs and requirements of each type of disability so that the modifications made to the facility would address those needs and make the space more accessible and accommodating for everyone.

The centre is currently 95 per cent completed and will consist of a recreational space, kitchen, dining area, and training space, where persons can develop and learn life skills.

The learning centre is the first of its kind and will also allow persons to benefit from a number of training programmes to be gainfully employed.

“We would’ve trained a significant number of persons and we are aiming to complete training at least 600 persons before the end of this month, especially in skills training and vocational type training.

“We are offering abuse and violence training because persons who are in the grouping of living with a disability are at a higher risk for those. So, those are some of the additional areas they will be trained in,” the minister added.

Further, the commitment by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali to provide retrofitted buses for persons living with disabilities has been fulfilled, as two buses were handed over to the ministry to transport persons attending the learning institution. (DPI)