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About Dis:Course The Ark has developed a new area of work; the Dis:Course project. An umbrella/support project for small community and voluntary groups in the Berkshire area concerned with disability and surrounding issues and concerns. It provides disabled people and these identified groups with a cohesive voice and communication channel. It also helps disabled people find activities and services provided by the sector. This project was developed as there is clearly a need; Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action received a large funding cut in April 2006 which has effected its capacity to provide ‘hands on’ support for small groups such as minute taking and funding advice, also disability was an area ignored in the Government’s ‘Change-Up’ funding. The Ark Trust Ltd, as an established disability organisation in Bracknell, had often been approached by groups and individuals and has been assisting them informally. It was decided that the charity would expand its charitable objects to enable more resources to be legitimately diverted to this area of work. Dis:Course currently handles approximately 40 calls a week from disabled people, their carers and professionals. These calls can vary from simple queries such as how to apply for a disabled parking badge to long term help and support to appeal a Disability Living Allowance decision. The database of community and voluntary sector provision neds to be developed and expanded so that disabled people have a comprehensive list from which to choose activities and services. This is very important for two reasons: Direct Payments and In Control, two schemes allowing disabled people to build and tailor their provision of care and activities to suit their own needs and to purchase these direct are supported and promoted by the Borough but although there are organisations with partial databases, a comprehensive list of the community and voluntary sector provision is needed as this is where many of the activities are. This database would be shared not just with the individuals but also with the other disability information services. The difference with this database will be that the services will be checked for good practice in the areas of protection of vulnerable adults and insurance, as unless organisations are providing care or receiving certain funding streams these areas are often hard to check and they will also have recommendations from disabled people themselves. |
