Introduction

Darlington Association on Disability was established in 1986 as a voluntary and charitable organisation led by disabled people. It exists to promote independence and choice, and supports disabled people and carers through the provision of services, support and information and by tackling issues locally and nationally. DAD promotes the social model of disability, and as part of that remit is actively involved in promoting disability equality and awareness of anti discrimination legislation.

DAD acts as a focal point for consultation with disabled people and carers. It also manages a range of services / projects to support its aims.

New Project Vacancies

DAD is seeking applicants for positions within a new 3 year project: Stronger Voices - Strong Support. Please visit our Vacancies page for application packs and more details.

DAD Centre for Independent Living

Friday 11th May saw the launch of Darlington Association on Disability Centre for Independent Living and the re-launch of Dimensions as the Independent Living Hub.

Our sincere thanks to all who came along to the Independent Living Hub, including Darlington MP Jenny Chapman who performed the ceremonial duties.

On Monday 28th May between 1.00pm - 7.00pm, please come to the Independent Living Hub ‘Open Day’ at DAD Independent Living Hub, West Lodge, West Crescent, Darlington DL3 7PS

There will be a chance to meet our team, pick up information on our wide range of services and discuss any particular individual issues.

We would love to show you what the DAD Centre for Independent Living has to offer, from children’s services to Direct Payments, Carers’ Support to Equal Access to Information and Advice and much more.

If possible, please rsvp Judith Gledhill at Judith@darlingtondisability.org (01325 489999), or please feel free just to drop in.

Please note that parking on West Crescent is extremely limited and we only have a small number of blue badge spaces at West Lodge. The closest car parks are around Duke Street and Bondgate, both of which are only 5 minutes away.

Better Health at Work Award

Following on from last year's Better Health at Work Award, DAD were delighted to have achieved the Bronze award and are now aiming for the Silver award. There were two presentation evenings as this award was also recognised by Darlington Investors in Health.

Photo of Sheila, Tracey, Margaret and Lauren receiving the award from Ada Burns, Chief Executive of Darlington Borough Council

(Above photo shows Sheila, Tracey, Margaret and Lauren receiving the award from Ada Burns, Chief Executive of Darlington Borough Council).

Photo showing Margaret, Sheila and Tracey being presented with DAD's award from Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work

The second evening was held at Ramside Hall (above photo shows Margaret, Sheila and Tracey being presented with DAD's award from Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work).

This award has been specifically designed to reward employers and recognise their efforts in improving the health and wellbeing of their employees as well as contributing towards creating healthier workplaces and organisations.

Free money management training

Rising fuel prices, increases in the cost of food and living and cuts in benefits are adversely affecting families and individuals. DAD has organised some free training sessions on money management, delivered by Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Please click here to view further details, dates and times.

A2B Travel without Barriers Survey

A2B is looking into the service levels that public transport providers in the UK offer to their passengers. Your comments and answers are much appreciated. All your answers are confidential and anonymous. DAD has produced an accessible version of the survey on behalf of A2B, please click here to go directly to the survey.

A2B - Travel without obstacles - sign the e-petition today!

Launched 27th January 2012, the A2B campaign aims to fight the discrimination towards disabled passengers that is endemic across public transport. Discrimination comes in all forms, from verbal abuse to simply denying access. With increasing pressure on the travel network is it is happening more and more. A2B aims to bring this to the attention of the Government, so that measures can be put in place to improve the public transport system for disabled passengers, as well as for all other users.

A2B is supported by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Transport for All, Disability Alliance and Unity Law - legal experts on disability discrimination.

An e-petition is now live on the Government's website. With 100,000 or more signatures, it can be raised in parliament. A2B is asking for a Regulator, funded by the industry, to:

• ensure ongoing training is given to all customer-facing public transport staff;

• regulate a minimum standard of compulsory training, including refreshers;

• maintain a centralised register of complaints as an essential part of the process of awarding, regulating and renewing franchises. These changes will improve the quality of service for all who use public transport.

The e-petition can be viewed here.

DAD, disabled people and carers affected by Council budget cuts!

On 22nd November 2011 Darlington Borough Council considered proposals for cutting services from March 2012. The latest proposals will affect DAD in a number of ways, including:

• The closure of our Shopmobility service.

• A substantial reduction to DAD’s Carers’ Support Service. Please click here to read more information on the Impact Assessment and Carers Support Services Review.

• An increase in rent for premises in the Market Place which is likely to result in the closure of this office.

At the same time our Direct Payments Support service, Dimensions Disability Initiative and DASH playscheme are affected by other changes to funding.

We believe that disabled people have been targeted disproportionally by the proposed cuts. Many of you have told us how valuable these services are to you in maintaining your independence. The Council is consulting with the public on these and other proposals. We have listed below some other proposals which may specifically affect disabled people and/or carers. If any of these proposed changes will affect you, you can make your views known in a number of ways. You can:

Visit the Darlington Borough Council website and follow the links to register your views

Write a letter to the Council explaining how the cuts will affect you. Letters can be a very powerful way of showing the impact that a cut in service will have. Staff at DAD have a ‘pro forma’ letter which you can use as a starting point if you wish.

Contact your local Councillor. Please click here to go to Darlington Borough's Councillor website section. DAD also has a list of Councillors and the wards they serve.

It is vitally important that you let the Council know if you think the proposed cuts may affect you.

Support us

Our trustees and staff are working hard to save DAD’s services and we would appreciate any support you are able to give. One way to acknowledge the difference DAD has made to your life would be to make a regular monthly donation to DAD. If you would like to make a regular donation by Direct Debit please contact our Business Support Officer, Judith, at DAD’s main office in the Market Place.

You can also visit our page on the justgiving website JustGiving to make a secure online donation.

To get a pro forma letter-

• Download a copy here
• Contact one of the projects
• Call into our office in the Market Place
• Telephone 01325 489999
• e-mail equalaccess@darlingtondisability.org
• Text 07624 818780.

Proposed cuts which may particularly affect disabled people or carers

Proposed 2010 and passed November 2011
Review of Eligibility Criteria Policy for Adult Social Care to restrict access to those with higher level support needs
Change to the Fairer Contributions policy to include Severe Disability Premium in its entirety

Proposed November 2011 for consultation
Cease Shopmobility Funding
Review of Carers Service contracts
Cease Rent Support to DAD
Savings to Adult Social Care
Review of Information Services
Reduce support to involve young people in the production of the children and young people plan
Review of support and consultation with older adults
Reduction to Welfare Rights Service
Reduction in Children’s Centre funding
Stop post 16 Free Transport
Review of early years/childcare development service
Reduction in services to 12 – 19 (Youth and Connexions service)
Reduction in Secondary School Home to School Transport
Review of Adults Transport
Review of Supported Bus Service
Review parking charges
Cease provision of CCTV in outlying areas
Close East Row Toilets
Review of Library Service
Reduce highway and footpath maintenance budgets

Position statement on Local Authority cuts

DAD recognises that Darlington Borough Council, in common with other Councils throughout the UK is having to make difficult decisions about future spending on services.

DAD feels that disabled people and carers are being unfairly caught up in the Local Authority cuts. Disabled people are part of the general public and are getting hit by cuts but if cuts are made to disabled peoples' services then disabled people and carers will be hit twice. DAD believes there should be no cuts to disabled peoples' services.

However DAD is also working to make sure that Darlington Borough Council carries out its duties legally by ensuring that disabled people are fully involved in decision making through the Disability Impact assessment process.

The process should involve not just identifying and minimising negative impacts on disabled people, but also in some instances, where the negative impact will be particularly large, avoiding the impact altogether by not making changes.

If you are not sure how the proposed budget cuts may affect you think about all the services that you use now, including adult services and community services such as the library, public transport. If they were cut back, how would it affect you as a disabled person or carer?

We urge disabled people and carers to get involved in the Disability Impact assessment process. You can do this for example by attending meetings where budget proposals are being discussed, by responding to requests from people assessing impacts for information about your use of services, or by giving your comments to the Borough Council.

To ask the Council for more information about the proposals, or to tell them how the proposals affect you telephone the Connecting with Communities Team, telephone 01325 388244, e-mail connecting@darlington.gov.uk, SMS Text 07852 715241

If you would like to get more involved with the impact assessment process contact Mary Hall from the Connecting with Communities Team, telephone 01325 388676

If you need support from DAD to identify how the cuts may affect you or to express your views, contact DAD, telephone 01325 489999, e-mail info@darlingtondisability.org, or text us on 07583 592824

Discrimination against disabled bus travellers

Darlington Association on Disability is supporting a number of disabled people who are being regularly discriminated against by Arriva drivers on a number of bus routes across Darlington. Unfair treatment varies from refusing access to wheelchair users because pushchairs are already onboard to humiliating wheelchair users when they trying to board and alight from the bus.

Arriva has a legal duty not to treat disabled people less favourably than other passengers. Discrimination is not just against wheelchair users. It extends to other disabled people and also to those that travel with them, such as carers or friends.

DAD is aware that this is potentially a much bigger problem and we are appealing for people to come forward who have been similarly mistreated by Arriva. We have asked Unity Law, a specialist firm in disability discrimination cases, to prepare a group legal challenge.

If you are a disabled person or care for a disabled person and have experienced similar problems, please contact Jane at the DAD main office in Horsemarket, phone 01325 489999, text 07624 818780 or email equalaccess@darlingtondisability.org

Please click here to see a Northern Echo article on this situation.

DAD Stakeholder Forum - register your interest now!

Darlington Association on Disability is a user led organisation. To help us to be as user led as possible we are proposing to hold a regular Stakeholder Forum. Members of the Forum would consist of all the Trustees, the Senior Management Team, service users or their representatives, representatives from DAD projects, interested DAD members and other DAD staff when relevant. The Stakeholder Forum would have a non-decision making role, but would offer opportunities to bring new ideas and influence DAD Trustees and the Senior Management Team. For example, DAD members could:

• bring ideas and concerns about our day to day operations;

• suggest how alternative funding might be obtained;

• contribute to or challenge our policies;

• put forward proposals on how we could do even more for disabled people and carers.

DAD projects, particularly new ones or ones that have changed over time could use the Forum to explain what they do and how, as well as encourage members of the Forum to voice their opinions. All proposed new projects would use the Forum as a valuable sounding board. Any Forum member would also be able to put relevant items on the agenda within a set timescale.

We propose to hold a Stakeholder Forum two or three times a year, taking up a full morning or afternoon. We propose to vary meeting dates to include school holiday periods so young people can attend as well as term time to accommodate those with childcare needs. The first meeting was held on 26th October, thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to a very interesting and successful meeting.

The decision to go ahead with this proposal is yours.

If you are a DAD service user, DAD volunteer, DAD member or representative of a DAD project and you wish to be a member of DAD’s Stakeholder Forum please contact our Chair, Gordon Pybus, to register your interest. Email gordon@darlingtondisability.org phone 01325 489 999 or call into our main office in the marketplace and ask someone to give Gordon your name and contact details.

DAD Statement on Consultation

DAD welcomes the opportunity for consultation, and will endeavour at all times to provide information and advice which, if followed, would result in the best possible outcome for disabled people.

DAD recognises that consultation often forms one part of a larger decision making process, and that outcomes may not always reflect the balance of views that DAD has provided or the outcomes that it has advised.

Organisations must not expect DAD to endorse decisions made, following a process of consultation or advice-giving, where the final outcome does not reflect the views of, or advice provided by, DAD or gives the impression in any way that DAD does endorse said decisions.

Personal Assistants/Support Workers Vacancies

Please visit this page to see the latest vacancies. These vacancies were last updated on 9th May 2012.

Third Party Reporting Centre-Press Release

Hate Incidents and Crimes are generally reported straight to the police, however, if people would prefer not to, or need support they can now report any hate incident/crime against a disabled person through Darlington Association on Disability (DAD) during office hours, 9:30 - 5, Mon - Fri.

A hate incident is any incident which may or may not constitute a criminal offence, which is perceived to be motivated by prejudice or hate against disabled people.
For example - Name calling, verbal abuse or harassment
A hate crime is a hate incident which does constitute a criminal offence, and again is motivated by prejudice or hate against disabled people.
For example - Attacks, physical abuse and Graffiti
The victim, a witness or any other person who knows or believes a hate crime/incident has taken place can make a report.

So why report it? The third party reporting system allows you to report a hate incident/crime to the police through DAD by giving us as little or as much information as you wish. All reports are kept confidential. By reporting it, it will enable the police to act upon such incidents and also build up patterns of behaviour and areas within the community where hate incidents and crimes are being committed, enabling them to allocate resources more effectively.
Safety and security, and the right to live free from fear and harassment, are fundamental human rights.

Gordon Pybus, Chair of DAD said “It is vitally important that disabled people should always report any hate incident or crime because what could be just name calling one day could easily escalate into a serious incident even leading to a fatality.”

Mike Cleasby, Valuing People Co-ordinator (Darlington Borough Council) said “The Council is committed to working in partnership with people with disabilities, DAD & the Police to increase public confidence and reduce the fear of crime. This scheme will allow an alternative way for people to report hate crime incidents, and will show perpetrators that we have a seamless approach to tackling this issue.”

Inspector Mark Button, Darlington Neighbourhood Team said “The police in Darlington recognise the importance of such an initiative that would improve the process of reporting such incidents, and we will fully support this integrated partnership approach to ensure it’s success.”

If you would like to report a hate incident/crime or for more information, please call into the DAD offices in Horsemarket or telephone 01325 489999 or email joanna@darlingtondisability.org

How you can support us

Make a donation

Visit our page on the justgiving website JustGiving to make a secure online donation. The page also allows you to follow our fundraising activities and sponsor an activity. You can also make a donation by calling in to any of DAD's offices. A regular donation to DAD would enable us to continue with our work, supporting disabled people and carers. If you would like to make a regular donation by Direct Debit please contact our Business Support Officer, Judith, at DAD’s main office in the Market Place.

Help DAD Reduce Costs

If you have any old mobile phones or empty printer cartridges, DAD has a collection point in the reception area of Head Office and you will be helping to raise money to support DAD.

Mission Statement

Darlington Association on Disability is an organisation led by disabled people, which exists to promote independence and choice.

DAD supports disabled people and carers through the provision of services, support and information and by tackling issues affecting disabled people both locally and nationally.

Big Lottery Fund Logo with text saying: Supported by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund Dial UK Serving the Disability Network