Mountain Training England Disability Training Fund

Explaining the fund

Mountain Training England recognises the considerable barriers to participation in the sports of climbing, hillwalking and mountaineering that are experienced by those with disabilities, and that this demographic is significantly under-represented in, and less engaged with, all Mountain Training skills courses and qualifications.

To help reduce these barriers MTE has developed an approach to reasonable adjustments that supports people with disabilities to attend courses https://www.mountain-training.org/help/resources/support-for-people-with-additional-needs

You can read some examples of how our approach has worked here https://www.mountain-training.org/latest-news/supporting-candidates-with-a-disability

Eligibility criteria

Applicants can apply for up to 50% of the median course cost and a contribution towards the cost of a personal assistant support or teaching/learning support during the course.

The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ effect on a person’s ability to do normal daily activities.

1. Applicants must live in England.
2. Applicants may be in receipt of personal independence payment or some other form of disability support. Not being in receipt of support doesn’t mean you can’t apply.
3. Applicants identify the nature of their disability – physical, sensory, cognitive, social skills difficulties, other.
4. Applicants identify what they are seeking assistance with – course costs, personal assistant support, teaching & learning support, other.
5. Applicants state why they are applying for funding, how will the fund benefit them and/or the groups they work with, their aspirations/ goals, how the course will help them achieve their aspirations.
6. If applying for qualification courses applicants must register on the relevant qualification and have the required minimum personal experience entered in the digital logbook.

How to apply

Complete the application form.

Grants will be paid on completion of the course applied for (irrespective of outcome) and receipt of a completed course evaluation and claim form.

Screening and approval process

Applications can be made at any time.

We aim to respond with a decision within 4 weeks of the date of application.

Once granted, the course applied for must be attended within the timeframe given in the application. Course evaluations must be submitted within two weeks of the course date.

Median course costs

Mountain Training course providers set their own course costs.

Course costs vary depending on whether courses are residential or non-residential and other factors such as kit hire and transport. With the aim of making access to funding as equitable as possible we award up to 50% of the median course cost. Median course costs are calculated annually.