NDF Projects
1. I.T.
Outreach Project:
As more and more disabled people rely on personal computers and their offspring
for communication this project financed by the Big Lottery Fund
until April 2009 enables personal 'in your home - one-two-one' I.T. Tuition
for disabled people who are unable to attend outside courses, loan equipment
is available. To apply email Paul Caddle
or telephone 0191 285 4556 and ask for Paul.
2. The REACT programme
in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Pathway Hazards report compiled
by NDF in 2002 highlighted the many barriers to equal access faced by disabled
people in Newcastle upon Tyne and included a navigation section about the difficulties
that visually impaired residents and visitors to the city have using the existing
signage. The REACT system provide audio signage.
An officer within Newcastle Local Authority, in collaboration with the Passenger
Transport Authority received authorisation for a pilot installation of forty
talking units in the city centre covering some main shopping streets, the regional
eye hospital (RVI) and two underground Metro stations. Funding for the pilot
came partly from the promoters and the Neighborhood Renewal Fund.
Unit locations and the audio messages were all decided in co-operation with
local volunteers representing as many of the different forms of visual impairment
as possible. NDF has a major input including audio message editing.
Control fobs are to be issued to residents by The Social Services Sensory Support
Unit as appropriate. Fobs for visitors will be available from the Tourist Information
Shop in the Grainger Street Arcade where the pilot starts.
This new Mark III REACT unit is specified by RNIB and:
• Is backward compatible and will work with existing fobs.
• Can be miniaturised for use inside buildings.
• Is fully networkable through the cellphone network which allows easy
upgrading and delivery of real-time information either by real voice or synthetic
voice.
• Is bluetooth compatible allowing either upgrading locally or interaction
with other. bluetooth devices such as phones, and delivering localised messages
to user's handheld devices.
• Can be multilingual.
• Conforms to international standards.
The project is due to be commissioned in 2008.
3.Taxi Driver Training
The Forum has a contract to train Newcastle City Hackney Taxi Drivers in disability
awareness and the safe ways to provide essential assistance. This training will
continue to benefit all disabled people who use taxis in the City.
Lapsed projects:
4. Disability Information
Officer:
Newcastle Community Empowerment Fund has
financed our project to ensure that the numerous issues affecting disabled people
are addresses by all agencies in the progressive work in the City regeneration
areas. This project has been spearheaded by our Officer for four years and concluded
in March 2006. Numerous contacts and stakeholders have been involved and will
be continued by the Forum volunteers into the future.
5. Inter-Agency
Crime Group:
Following the Crime Disorder
Audit of 1997, Newcastle Disability Forum raised the issue, based on extensive
anecdotal evidence, from members, that disabled people were particularly targeted
in terms of crime and disorder. This has not been possible to prove because
Northumbria Police statistics do not cover this area. It is therefore important
to find a means of obtaining this baseline information.
The Forum,
in tandem with a cross-sector advisory group, is currently
attempting to instigate a piece of research that will inform
cross-sector agency policy and practice development. The
recording of such crimes needs to ensure that accurate and
representative data is produced. One of the effects of doing this
work will enable services, through the Best Value approach, to
implement Section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act. It is
anticipated that this valuable piece of work will receive the
necessary funding and take place in the near future.