The Disability Alliance Sunderland (DAS) was originally named The Physical Disabilities Alliance (PDA) when founded in 1998.So from 1998 until the end of May 2010, this is the history of the PDA.
A Brief Description
The original charitable object of the PDA was: the relief of people with physical disabilities in thecity of Sunderland and surrounding areas.
The Physical Disabilities Alliance (PDA) was (and as the DAS still is) an umbrella organisation that seeks to work for the disabled citizens of Sunderland; their families, carers and friends.
The PDA (and DAS) is run predominantly by disabled people for disabled people and whilst the words ‘physical disability’ formed part of our name, we were never uncaring or unconcerned about the problems and needs of all disabled people as well as issues affecting the wider community.
The PDA regularly worked in partnership with other organisations, including those from the statutory sector. Also many of our members were and as DAS still are representatives of other groups and this leads to close contact with many organisations.
The Physical Disabilities Alliance (PDA) was determined to confront any issues or problems encountered by people with disabilities. We endeavoured to speak with a unified voice for all our members and act as a focal point of contact for agencies and statutory bodies. Under our new name of Disability Alliance Sunderland (DAS) we are still committed to those ideals.
General meetings where all our members, invited guests, interested visitors and guest speakers may attend are still held on a monthly basis. Reports from working sub-groups and other PDA / DAS representations were and are made, exchanges of information between member groups are facilitated and decisions on future issues and concerns are progressed.
The PDA was and as the DAS still is a democratic organisation and every full member, or organisation in membership, has a right to vote; based on the principle of ‘one member: one vote’. Membership is open to all who have a genuine interest / concern for the DAS, the ideals and objects for which it exists and are also prepared to abide by the rules of our governing documents. The DAS firmly supports the tenets of equal opportunities and non-discrimination; believing such to be fundamental human rights. Also, as an official User Led Organisation (ULO) we are committed to the promotion of independent living, equality, choice and control.
Every year at the Annual General Meetings those members who were nominated and seconded for positions on the management committee were presented for election but where no positions were contested then the nominees were accepted by the membership unchallenged. The management committee (the trustees) are responsible for all decisions about policy and the regular running of this organisation, including the financial organisation and annual accounts; being fully accountable to its membership and the law.
An introduction to the P.D.A. (now the DAS) – A short history.
The creation of the Physical Disabilities Alliance was first suggested at a Social Services Forum for people with physical disabilities. (in 1998.) Many agencies were present, both statutory and voluntary, when it was determined that there was a need for an umbrella organisation which should both represent physically disabled people and also act as a focal point of contact for statutory bodies and any other interested party. The Sunderland Council for Voluntary Services (now the Sunderland Centre for Voluntary Service. SCVS) in conjunction with the City of Sunderland Council for the Disabled, (CSCD) now the Disability Support Group North East (DSGNE) were tasked with the foundation of the PDA. The then named Senior Officers Group – Physical Disability (currently named MaRG: Modernisation and Reform Group), were instrumental in such a decision being reached. Several meetings were held to canvas opinion and to confirm genuine support for the idea. Those efforts led to the PDA coming into existence in late 1998.
October 1998 saw the first presentation by the PDA to other groups; during the Social Services Joint Planning Forum as held at what was the Nookside Day Centre. By December we had been invited to have members of the PDA regularly attending the meetings of the Senior Officers Group-Physical Disabilities (now MaRG); as user group representation. Since that time we have been accepted as user representative members on a range of committees, including the Transport Advisory Committee, City Centre Management Sub-group Committees , P.I.E. (People Into Employment [Re: disabled people]), Back on The Map Social Inclusion Team, Joint Wheelchair and Occupational Therapy Committee, The Independent Living Centre Group, The Non-residential Services for Young People with Disabilities Group, The Sunderland Housing Group Support Network, The Physical Disabilities Forum, The Direct Payments Consortium (Personalisation Consultation Group including Go Direct) The Changing Places Campaign and many others.
Several of the above mentioned committees have since been renamed, or ceased to exist either because their work was completed or because other committees have taken over their tasks. However, new committees are formed regularly to serve our communities and where appropriate the Disability Alliance Sunderland will engage with such groups for the continuing benefit of disabled people.
The PDA Directory
In late1999 a working group was established to plan the production of a pocket sized directory that would contain useful information for disabled people, their carers and anyone involved with physical disability issues. There was a pocket directory already in existence designed to help those with mental health issues (Access to Mental Health – Crisis Care Directory) and so we used that book as a basic template for our directory. Funding for this project was generously offered via the then Senior Officer Group (now the Modernisation and Reform Group - Physical Disabilities) MaRG - PD, which was Sunderland Social Services with Sunderland Health Authority joint funding. It was greatly appreciated.
The first directory was a great success when printed early in 2001 and so in late 2008, due to the fact that the first directory was then out dated and also because of the growing requests for an up dated version, a second edition was printed. This new directory was and still is available free to anyone who may make use of it. Over 5,000 copies of our directory have now been distributed. The first directory, whilst stating on the front cover that it was for use by physically disabled people, always contained information for people experiencing other forms of disability. The new version continues in that manner and to make it more obvious the term ‘physically disabled ‘, has been removed from the outer cover and just ‘disabled people’ put in its place.
Representation
Throughout the years the P.D.A. (now the DAS) has attended almost every major event within the City of Sunderland, especially those with disability on the agenda.
The DAS still is regularly sending representatives to attend many initiatives so as to put our view forward and also to absorb and report back with information for our members. Four members of the PDA were selected as part of a small group (8 in total) to represent the City of Sunderland at the European Conference for the Year of the Disabled, held in Essen, Germany late in 2003. This was both an honour and a duty, which together with representatives of Sunderland Carers' Centre, Sunderland Social Services and the City Council, we performed to the best of our abilities and in return received very favourable feedback from our continental colleagues.
Access Audits
Thanks to our sponsors, training was obtained which equipped several of our members with the necessary knowledge that allowed them to undertake access audits to a reasonable level. Both Gateshead Access Panel (GAP) and Disability North are to be especially thanked here. In early 2008 Vision Sense of Jarrow provided ten of our members with an opportunity to train to NVQ level 3, allowing us to learn how to complete more competent access audits. With this gained knowledge DAS hopes to help in the improvement of access for all by offering the provision of access auditing to local organisations. These access audits are offered at a fair charge that reflects the expertise and work expended by our Access Audit Team. For Non-profit making charities or ‘not for profit’ organisations, we retain the right to lower or waive areas of our fees. Our main concern is ‘Access for All’ and not making undue profits
Revenue, Grants and other Support
During the first nine months of our existence, the PDA was indebted to Sunderland *Council for Voluntary Service, *(now Sunderland Centre for Voluntary Service) who covered all our financial expenses and have continued to offer their support in other ways ever since.
The majority of our revenue income for the first four years came from the joint funding of the *Social Service *(now Health, Housing & Adult Services) and the Health Commission. ‘Awards for All’ gave us sufficient funds to acquire a computer package, printers, camera and office stationery whilst the Community Development Learning Fund and the then titled Community Fund allowed us to obtain training and to meet revenue requirements.
In 2003 the Community Fund (now known as The Big Lottery Fund) also provided sufficient funding for the PDA to employ a Development Worker for two years. This provided a great boost to the organisation and further funding from the Big Lottery Fund guaranteed the employment of our development worker until the spring of 2009. The PDA has also received a few very welcome financial donations.
Sunderland Centre for Voluntary Service allowed us to use their Frederick Street offices when the PDA was first formed and Pallion Action Group also allowed the PDA to use their facilities free of charge for over three months. Sunderland & District Scope (now known as the Northeast Disability Resource Centre. NDRC) then made office space available to us in River View House, (once again with the welcome agreement and support of SCVS) and we are now firmly based within the New Independent Living Centre at Leechmere and are grateful to Sunderland Adult Services for the generous rent conditions applied and their ready help during the transition period and ever since
The Community Fund and now the Big Lottery Fund has supported us for training, producing information and access audits and other issues and requirements surrounding disability awareness. The present directors of DAS and the past executive committee and members of the PDA are very grateful for these grants and gifts as they helped us to continue our work.
The Department of Health deserve special mention for their support and sponsorship during much of 2008 and 2009 as the then PDA transformed its self into one of very few official User Led Organisations (ULO) in the country, which also led to our change of name in late March 2009 to the Disability Alliance Sunderland.(DAS) and our change of legal status from just a registered charity to the present Company Limited by Guarantee (Reg No; 6800448) and also as a registered charity. (No: 1128006.) From 2009 until the present we founded a new Advice & Information Service that specialises in the requirements of disabled people and, which whilst being organised from the DAS office in the independent Living Centre at Leechmere Industrial Estate is also offered as an outreach service at locations across the city. (Go to Advice & Information Service for details.) For 2010 we again were fortunate to receive grants from Sunderland City Council and also from Sherburne House; for both of which we are very grateful.
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