What is The Access Panel Project?

SDEF is launching an exciting new part of our 3 year strategy.

This project focuses on assisting in the growth, development and sustainability of Access Panels across Scotland over the coming years. SDEF has developed a range of support tools according to the individual needs of each Access Panel, whilst also learning about what’s working well, and sharing these success stories across the Access Panel network.

This support will cover a wide range of areas, including:

It is vital that Access Panels are supported to provide the wide range of services which they offer to disabled members of their community and to show potential funders the great work they are doing. SDEF will also provide information on Independent Living, Social Justice, hate crime and support them to connect and work with parliamentary bodies and with Cross-party Groups.

As the threat of further cuts in voluntary sector funding looms, we must all look to the skills and resources available within our groups and organisations to help take a long term view to our work. We will assist Access Panels in identifying potential commercial opportunities to draw an income to safeguard their future work.

So What Will the Project Involve?

First of all, we need to know what Access Panels need. To find out, we have asked all Access Panels to fill in a questionnaire, which asks members all about their specific Panel.

Once we know what issues Panels have, we can work with them to overcome these issues. It may be that there are too few people on the Panel, that there is insufficient funding for what they want to acheive, or that the Panel wishes to have an online presence, but doesn't know where to start.

Over the next two years, SDEF will work closely with the Access Panels to help them to acheive their goals, and to improve their outreach in their community.

SDEF would like to thank the Access Panels in advance for the opportunity to work with them on this exciting new part of strategy over the coming year.