Scottish
Disability Equality Forum����
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Scottish
Disability Equality Forum���� |
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Business
Plan 2002-05
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY�1.���
Introduction
The Scottish Disability Equality Forum is recognised by the Inland
Revenue as having charitable status.� The
Forum has been developing since 1997 and was launched in 2001.�
The Forum now has over 70 member organisations and a number of individual
members.� Members have elected a management committee of nine
experienced people, who all have a disability, to steer the development of the
Forum and carry out their wishes.
This business plan sets out our organisation�s aims and objectives
over the next three years, and how we intend to achieve them.�
It is with great pleasure that we present this plan to you.
2.���
Mission:
The Scottish Disability Equality Forum exists to promote greater�
social equality by working to remove the disabling barriers to equal
access for people affected by disabilities in Scotland.
3.���
Values:
SDEF believes:
a)���
that people come first, disability comes second;��������������
b)���
in a �bottom-up� rather than a �top-down approach to policymaking
that people with disabilities should have control over decisions that directly
affect their lives;
c)���
there is a need for the voices of people with disabilities to be heard
in defining access problems and in proposing solutions;
d)���
in a commitment to equal opportunities;
e)���
in a commitment to working with all who can contribute to opening up
access for people with disabilities; and,
f)�����
in adding value, not duplicating the work of others.
4. Analyses and implications for SDEF
In working towards developing strategic aims and objectives, SDEF
analysed current external trends in the fields of politics, economics, society
and technology, and what these trends would mean for organisations working to
support people affected by disability.� Key
political trends considered include devolution and the Scottish elections
in 2003; the European Year of Disabled People in 2003; the implementation of
aspects of the DDA in 2004; and the expected changes to the equality
institutions. �Economic trends include
the likely economic downturn and the emphasis on promoting employment for people
with disabilities.��� Particular
social trends are the introduction of free personal care for older people
and the Scottish Executive�s support for work with access panels.�
Technological trends considered include the improved accessibility
of information for those with disabilities and impairments, but the exclusion of
these people from the design process.� These
trends all make a clear case for a networking organisation supporting local
disability groups through channelling information and supporting members to
develop good practice.
The trends identified were considered alongside the expressed wishes of
SDEF�s membership, as set out in two consultative members� meetings in the
past year.� Members had focused on
the need to develop better communication structures within the disability
movement, and the need to focus on access, to the built environment, to tourism,
to transport and to information.� Based
on members� priorities and the external analyses, strategic aims and
objectives for SDEF�s work were produced.
5.
STRATEGIC AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
AIM 1: To promote action to make Scotland, Scottish institutions and services more accessible to people with disabilities, building on the changes in responsibilities for access from 2004
Objectives:
1.1 To take forward the recommendations of the research into Access
Panels;
1.2 To seek to work with access panels, supporting them to develop IT
systems in order to improve access to two-way communication with people with
disabilities;
1.3 To work to increase access to tourism in Scotland;
1.4 To establish an up-to-date, reliable information and advice service
on access issues related to the environment and to communication methods;
1.5 To seek to establish access audit accreditation in partnership with
academics; and
1.6 To design and run training courses on the principles of access to
the environment.
AIM 2: To establish, or assist in
establishing, mechanisms to improve two-way communications between people with
disabilities and policy-makers, through which to promote the voices of SDEF
members and enable policymaking to be better informed
Objectives:
2.1 To broaden the membership of SDEF, in particular increasing
representation of mental health service users, and people affected by disability
from minority ethnic communities, to help ensure that SDEF�s work is fully
accessible to all sections of the community and in order to be able to advise
others on full accessibility;
2.2 To develop means of promoting two-way internal communication among
SDEF members and between SDEF members and the SDEF Committee;
2.3 To assist in the development of consultation mechanisms with the
Scottish Executive and Parliament, to ensure SDEF and its membership is
consulted on initiatives pertinent to its core business, and to contribute
proactively to policy-making;
2.4 To develop and strengthen contacts with key politicians and
parliamentarians; and,
2.5 To assist in the development of relations with public and private
sector decision makers.
AIM 3: To build good relationships with
key players in the disability field and identify opportunities for partnership
working
Objectives:
3.1 To contribute towards the strengthening of the sector by pressing
for the formation of a Consortium on Disability;
3.2 To contribute towards a Scotland-wide programme of activities around
EUROPEAN YEAR OF DISABLED PEOPLE; and,
3.3 To work with others in developing and implementing a strategy around
the Elections in 2003.
AIM 4: To establish SDEF as a
professionally-run, sustainable organisation, with a clear identity and a unique
contribution to make as a centre of expertise in the field of access to the
environment and to communication methods.
Objectives:
4.1 To ensure SDEF�s constitution and governance structures are
appropriate to allow it to function efficiently and effectively, in line with
SDEF�s values;
4.2 To establish efficient strategic planning, policies, procedures and
reporting systems;
4.3 To seek to establish long-term financial stability;
4.4 To find suitable premises outwith Edinburgh and Glasgow, with access
and parking; and,
4.5 To build and develop a staff team, as required to implement the
business plan.
7.� Key Outputs, Monitoring
and Evaluation
This section provides brief descriptions of key outputs and how it is
proposed that each should be monitored and evaluated. Performance indicators for
each activity are set out in section 11 below. These will clearly form the basis
for setting targets and for evaluation.� Outputs
include: consultation events; training on the principles of access; an access
information helpline; a guidance manual for access panels; newsletters and
information materials; support for consultation mechanisms with members; a
website and bulletin board; IT support and equipment; a tourism guide; and
accredited access training.
More generally, through taking a �bottom up� approach, SDEF�s work
will be subject to continuous monitoring and evaluation by each membership.
Individual funders may also have particular requirements when it comes to
monitoring and evaluating activities for which they have provided funding. SDEF
is committed to ensuring full accountability, to all its stakeholders, both
internal and external. A complaints procedure would be developed at an early
stage and publicised to those using SDEF�s products and services.
8.
Outline of staffing requirements: It seems likely that three full-time core staff will be required,
namely:
��������
a management post, covering strategic planning and reporting, staff
management, work with the Management Committee, fundraising, policy work;
��������
an access development worker, covering work with access panels, delivery
of information services, establishment of consultation mechanisms;
��������
an administrator/ IT support worker, covering membership administration
and communications, events organisation, IT support and development,
administration relating to information services, training, staffing and
Committee work.
It would be possible to enter into a Service Level Agreement with SCVO
to out-house financial administration (pay-roll, book-keeping, etc. In addition,
it is likely to be necessary to employ project staff, e.g. to take forward the
proposed work on tourism.
9. Outline of SDEF Management Committee
skills and experience: All have
personal experience of disability and all have previous experience of being
members of voluntary sector Management Committees. Some are also members of
access panels; some have qualifications as access auditors, or as disability
equality trainers. Work experience of business management, financial and staff
management, product design and customer service is also represented. So too is
expertise on a range of policy issues and/ or involvement with organisations
dealing with them, including transport, housing, employment and health as well
as community care. Between them, they have extensive contacts within the
disability sector and beyond, e.g. with local authorities, parliamentarians,
Health Boards and the media.
10. How SDEF�s work meets the interests
of key stakeholders
SDEF�s
work will improve the social welfare of people
with disabilities in a variety
of respects � through providing information and advice, opportunities to feed
into policy-making, improvements to access to the environment and information,
including the prospect of increased access to tourism. Families
of people with disabilities
should similarly benefit from information and advice, and improved access. The
work proposed should help meet a number of Scottish
Executive priorities,
contributing towards meeting objectives relating to the equality strategy and
mainstreaming, community care, EUROPEAN YEAR OF DISABLED PEOPLE and social
inclusion more generally. Information and advice on access to the environment
and information should also be useful for local
authorities, who should also
benefit from improved communications with local people with disabilities. Work
to support the development of access panels and training on the principles of
access, should also directly meet their interests. The project on tourism should
be of assistance to leisure service
providers, as they assume new
access responsibilities, and are enabled to expand their customer base. SDEF�s
commitment to adding value and partnership working, and work to strengthen the
disability sector should bring gains, not just for disability
organisations but hopefully
for the voluntary sector more
widely. Commercial and public sector
should gain, not just from the provision of information and advice on access to
the environment and information, but from increased credibility in access audits
consequent on the establishment of accreditation. Through opening up access,
they can also expand their customer-base. Finally, it is not just people with
disabilities who stand to gain from improved access, but the general
public, as the environment
becomes more accessible to mothers with prams, people with heavy shopping and
information is presented more accessibly.
11. Work programme and timetable
The
key tasks that will be required to meet aims and objectives are described, along
with anticipated outcomes and performance indicators. For the first six months,
the focus will be on establishing the organisation, staffing and premises, and
fundraising to take forward subsequent work areas. Work on access panels will be
an immediate priority, as must be work around the EUROPEAN YEAR OF DISABLED
PEOPLE, the Disability Consortium/ Forum and the elections in 2003. Subject to
funding, the year 2003/04 would feature work on accreditation and tourism
projects, in addition to initiatives previously commenced. Action will be taken
to increase representation among SDEF�s membership of mental health service
users and �minority groups� with disabilities, and to ensure SDEF�s work
reflects their access requirements.� Throughout,
mechanisms will be instigated to ensure SDEF�s work and priorities are driven
�bottom up� by its membership. There will be an emphasis throughout on good
management practice and accountability.
�August 2002
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� Scottish Disability Equality Forum Working together for the disability movement SDEF is a recognised Scottish charity no. SC031893 end of page |