Greenwich Association of Disabled People was established in 1975 and is a 100% user-led organisation of disabled people. Our mission is to be a major force for positive change in society’s perception of disabled people, to be a source of empowerment for disabled people and to support their human rights.
Service delivery is provided by disabled people who are qualified or experienced professionals, thus providing the added value of offering employment and professional development opportunities to disabled people, as well as a user led approach to service provision.
Services are available to ALL disabled people, including those with physical or sensory impairments, learning difficulties, mental health issues, older people and children with impairments and their families. Services are identified, informed and evaluated by the membership through user involvement, strategy events, monitoring and feedback. This includes ensuring they are fully inclusive to all equalities groups, including BME groups, women, GBLT groups, people from faith groups and older people.
GAD has a management Committee of (currently) 7 trustees. We have 12 office-based staff, with a clear management structure. Additionally, we employ approximately 40 Personal Assistants (PAs) and currently have approximately 70 registered volunteers.
Services provided are:
Community Involvement (3 staff managed by the Community Involvement Director). The service was established in 2007, and it incorporates Information and Advice, Welfare Rights services and a volunteering programme with 70 registered volunteers engaged in individual programmes of training and personal development who represent disabled people through consultancy, focus groups and community events, user groups for women, older people, art, craft and writers and a well established weekly drop-in every Monday between 10.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. where our project workers and invited services and speakers are available and where disabled people meet socially.
Advocacy against Hate Crime, (2 staff managed by the Safeguarding Director). The GAD Advocacy Service was created in 2004 to support disabled people experiencing Hate Crime, Domestic Violence and Harassment. The service has established links with Greenwich University’s Law Department and hosts final year students as volunteers and as research students. For example, in 2008/9, we have had 2 volunteer placements for the majority of the year, and 5 additional students based their final year research studies on issues impacting on disabled people from within our service.
Personal Assistants Agency (3 office staff and 40 PAs managed by the Safeguarding Director) providing services to 60 disabled people, enabling them to live independently.
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