BUSINESS PLAN 2002-2005

1. Introduction

Scarborough and District Disablement Action Group - DAG - began its activities in 1989 and gained charitable status in August 1990. Appendix 1 describes the history of the organisation.

Disablement Action Group has maintained its development since its inception and aims to continue to do so. This Business Plan - the result of work done by the Committee, volunteers & staff - sets out a coherent base for Disablement Action Group to develop its activities. The plan will be reviewed and evaluated on an annual basis.

2. The Vision

Disablement Action Group's mission is:

To assist disabled people in Scarborough and District to achieve maximum independence and integration into society by providing services, information and advice.

Besides disabled people, DAG assists and helps carers and professionals with an interest in disability issues.

Scarborough and District Disablement Action Group is the only organisation in the area which was set up by, and is run by and for, disabled people.

3. Disablement Action Group Now

The year 2002/03 has been a difficult year for DAG, with the reduction in Social Services funding necessitating the closure of the Disability Equipment Showroom. In addition, the lack of success in replacing the substantial grant from the Community Fund meant that, during the year, four members of staff were made redundant. However, more recent success in grant applications has enabled the group to reappoint two members of staff.

The service includes a telephone helpline, web-site, assistance to personal callers and visits to people in their own homes. There has been a continuous and rapid growth in the demand for these services which DAG has been able to maintain, despite the need to reduce opening hours. This has been largely achieved through considerable committment and support from staff, volunteers and trustees. Providing benefit advice, including appeals and tribunal assistance, is now the most requested area. From April 2002 to March 2003 DAG succeeded in raising nearly £330,000 for disabled people and their families who have come to the group for assistance.

To enhance the service, DAG produces a range of publications in accessible formats and organises public meetings on a variety of topical disability issues. It also conducts disability awareness training seminars and undertakes consultancy work for organisations seeking to improve access facilities. Disablement Action Group members also represent the interests of disabled people as committee members of several local and national organisations and the group acts as advocate for disabled individuals.

The group has always sought the views of disabled people by organising consultation events about disability issues, ensuring all concerns are followed up.

The table below summarises DAG's activities over the last financial year:

Appendix 2 provides further details of Disablement Action Group's current services.

5. Evidence of the Need for a Disability Service

Recent census figures revealed that there are nearly 9 million people in the United Kingdom who have some sort of long term impairment, a figure equal to the combined population of Scotland and Wales. Included within this group are 1.1 million people who have a vision impairment, 800,000 with a hearing impairement and over half a million people who use wheelchairs.

That disabled people in the United Kingdom still face widespread discrimination is borne out by recently conducted studies which raise the issue that over 80% of people with reduced mobility live in homes that have not been fully adapted and that almost two-thirds of disabled people interviewed have cited difficulty using transport as a reason for not going out more. Financially, the majority of disabled people remain dependent on welfare benefits; disabled people are more than twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled people and 65% live on or below the poverty line.

Figures for 1998 complied by the Office for National Statistics show that of the 574,000 people living in North Yorkshire, 134 000 live in the area of Scarborough. We can estimate that there are 9000 disabled people who reside in the region. However, the total number of local people in Scarborough who are aged sixty or over is 6% higher than the national average and as the incidence of disability increases with age, this will significantly augment the number of disabled people in the group's catchment area, so heightening the need for high quality disability information and advice.

The large proportion of local disabled people and, by inference, those who assist disabled people and work in disability related areas, and the need for an efficient and responsive disability information and advice service, is reflected in DAG's annual statistics. Since the group's inception in 1989, statistics have revealed an annual increase of service usage. In the twelve month period from 2002/2003, the group received 3,585 calls for advice on a wide variety of areas connected with disability. Of these, over 84% were from individuals or organisations in North Yorkshire and more than half of all callers requested in-depth assistance with welfare benefits. A substantial number of calls were also received in concerning housing, holidays and equipment.

The group has long prided itself on its comprehensive, professional and friendly service: the fact that last year nearly 80% of callers had used the service before shows the extent to which there is a need for the sort of assistance DAG can offer and also that disabled people and their families have a very high regard for the way in which it is offered.

Appendices 3 and 4 provide statistical evidence of service use during April 2002 - March 2003

6. Reviewing Progress and Considering the Future

At a joint meeting of staff, volunteers and Trustees held on 7 March 2003, the mission statement, aims and objectives and progress were reviewed.

• The group should congratulate itself on being the very first in the area to achieve the highly acclaimed Community Legal Service Quality Mark including Disability Case Work and that, in a recent audit, it had been reawarded the 'Mark'.
• The group should continue to respond to changing situations and the growing complexity of the work being presented.
• The group should continue to be needs-led, meeting customers; higher expectations of services.
• It is important to maintain the user-led/self-help ethos.
• Volunteering opportunities should continue to be made available to disabled people.
• The group should continue to develop services in rural areas and, in particular, Ryedale.
• The internal system should be reviewed and improved, including IT facilities.