Where Can I Find Training and Resources on Disability Inclusion and Accessibility?

Find links to training and resources for heritage organisations to working inclusively and accessibly with and for disabled people in heritage.

What is this advice for?

This advice is for heritage organisations looking for training and resources to enable them to work more inclusively and accessibly with and for disabled people in heritage. It links to training and resources for heritage organisations that employ staff, have volunteers, that welcome visitors, or recruit participants for projects or programming.

In 2024, Historic England commissioned Direct Access to conduct research on the experiences of disabled people in the heritage sector. Their report, published in 2025, highlighted that there was a significant gap in the training offered to staff and volunteers at heritage organisations around disability.

Following the report's publication, Historic England conducted a survey and held a roundtable of disabled people and access specialists working in the heritage sector, to identify the priority areas that Historic England could signpost and develop training around.

The list below is a starting point for heritage organisations to add to their programme of training and development for staff and volunteers. Historic England has followed the advice and recommendations of research participants and roundtables, and where possible has recommended organisations that demonstrate lived experience or significant experience working closely with people with lived experience of disability.

The list has been split into the main sections identified by participants in the research and roundtable as follows:

  • Understanding the social model of disability and implementing policies, practices and programming based upon it
  • Understanding disability with specific training on impairments, chronic illnesses, mental health, neurodiversity, d/Deafness, vision loss and blindness led by people with lived experience
  • Employment and people management from recruitment to retention, including reasonable adjustments and workplace passports
  • Communication, including language guidance, active listening, body language, and how to effectively and authentically communicate with colleagues, volunteers, or audiences with different needs and requirements
  • Understanding the history and heritage of disabled people and Disabled culture

Please note that Historic England is not affiliated in any way with the organisations in this list. We have collated this list from available sources of guidance, training, and support available in England as of June 2025. There is a range of options with varying price points. We encourage individuals and organisations to thoroughly investigate their options before selecting a supplier.

This resource forms part of a wider strand of work around disability access to heritage. For other resources in this series, see the dedicated Disability Access to Heritage section of advice.

The social model of disability

Where to find training and resources on the social model of disability: 

Understanding disability

Where to find training or resources on specific impairments, neurodiversity, d/Deafness, chronic illnesses, mental health, learning disabilities, and anything else that comes under the definition of “disability” under the Equality Act 2010

Historic England has collated this list of training and resources based on the areas identified by the survey and roundtables as being highest priority, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many more courses that the listed organisations could undertake.

We recommend that organisations undertake some consultation with local disabled led groups, or set up a consultation group to find out where to focus their training.

Find courses and resources listed below.

Accessibility and inclusion

Where to find training and resources on accessibility and inclusion for disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent people in employment or volunteering:

Inclusive communication

Where to find training and resources on inclusive communication with disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent people:

Understanding the history and heritage of disabled people and culture

Where to find training or resources on the history and heritage of disabled people and disabled culture:

Also of interest

Inclusive Heritage Advice Hub