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AbilityNet projects
Find your nearest community partner go to the Support in the Community page.
New and current projects
Sustaining Switched On Communities
Sustaining Switched on Communities is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and aims to reach Voluntary and Community Organisations in the North East, West Midlands, East Midlands and London with accessibility kit, training, ongoing support and a loan bank of accessible ICT. Working with appointed Community Partners in each region the project will be supporting one hundred and thirty two organisations in the four regions.
Switched On Communities
Through a partnership with the DSGi Foundation, we are working with eight Community Partners across the UK involving some 208 locally based voluntary organisations and aim to make an impact on the lives of approximately 29,000 disabled people. Each participating Voluntary and Community Organisation will receive a kit of adaptive technology, training, support materials, access to remote assessment and an extensive loan bank of assistive technology.
Wales Remote Assessment Project
Wales Remote Assessment Project is a project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The project aims to provide better access to computers for people with a range of difficulties by establishing remote assessment capability in 90 Public Access centres across Wales. Using technology and assessment skills remotely we aim to raise awareness throughout Wales of the opportunity accessible ICT presents to centres and the individuals who access the centres.
Contact wrap@abilitynet.org.uk.
Play AT IT
The Play AT IT project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and aims to provide play options and inclusion for children with disabilities in 18 nurseries in disadvantaged areas across 9 regions of England. Each nursery will receive a complete Assistive Technology kit, including play opportunities for children with disabilities.
AbilityNet will also be offering training, support and access to an extensive Loan Bank of assistive ICT equipment to local authority Early Years teams and portage services.
Contact preschool@abilitynet.org.uk.
Play AT ICT Northern Ireland
Play At ICT Northern Ireland project is funded by the Roald Dahl Foundation working with five regional Education and library boards in Northern Ireland and supporting 26 Nursery Schools, providing training and assessments and a loan bank of assistive technology for those participating in this project.
This project is aimed at increasing the utilisation and awareness of the value of accessible technology with pre-school education.
Contact – preschool@abilitynet.org.uk
AbilityNet and Arthritis Care support accessibility in Shetland
With funding from the Madam Betard Trust AbilityNet have linked with Arthritis Care in Scotland to enable greater access to technology and training for staff, volunteers and individuals within centres in Shetland and Glasgow. Through this collaborative working accessible kit and training we aim to provide improved services to older people and those with arthritis and rheumatism.
Visit the Arthritis Care website for further information
The Remote Assessment Project London ended on 31st October 2008
The Remote Assessment Project London project ended on 31st October 2008
Over the life time of the project we provided:
- 310 staff and users were trained face to face and 25 over the internet
- 33 Accessibility kits were provided to centres in the 33 London boroughs
- 1269 individuals used the online assessment tool, 42 users had internet supported assessments and face to face assessments and
- 17 users had consultancy sessions a total of 1363 people.
“The RAPL project has really added to what we do, a lot of our users are silver surfers, especially this September’s enrolment. With the staff knowing about accessibility it has enhanced what we have to offer them. They often seem to have difficulty with their eyesight so adjusting the screen has been very useful.”
Peter Prowse, Priory Court Centre, Waltham Forest
The Remote Assessment Project Scotland ended on 30th November 2008
Over the life time of the project:
- 105 staff and users were trained
- 72 Accessibility kits were provided to 72 centres in the Scottish regions
- 1400 individuals used the online assessment tool
- Extensive use was made of the RAPS assistive technology loan bank
"The training gave the staff more confidence in assisting our disabled computer users" (Moray).
"Staff have changed the way that they work, The RAPS project has become part of our induction and allow us to be more proactive in looking at the needs of student groups." (Glasgow)