Website of the Department of Health

Action and Learning Sites

Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People report recommended that by 2010, each local authority area should have a user-led organisation modelled on existing Centres for Independent Living.  User-led organisations are organisations led and controlled by disabled people.

User-led organisations are critical to independent living - to enable disabled people to have choice and control over the support they need to go about their daily lives. They are one of the key elements of the forthcoming cross- government Independent Living Strategy.

Putting People First also recognises that local organisations run and controlled by disabled people are vital to providing information, advice, peer support and advocacy to other disabled people.

The Department of Health has provided £750,000 in grants to 12 organisations across England over 2008-09 to become user-led Action and Learning Sites.

Some of the user-led organisations will use the grant to improve their business and organisational skills. It will also help them make links with - and get support from - local authorities and PCTs and other sources so they can act as a resource in the local area.

Other user-led organisations that are advanced and well established will act as mentors to foster the development of organisations in areas where they currently don’t exist. They will help them with set up issues like registering as a business or charity, developing contracts and finding appropriate venues to base their organisation.

The lessons learnt and knowledge gained by all the organisations that have been funded will be shared more widely to ensure every locality has the chance to develop and have access to a user-led organisation.

The 12 Action and Learning sites are:

• Dial Barnsley
• Whitby and District Action Group
• Gateshead Access Panel
• Bath and North East Somerset People First
• Breakthrough UK Ltd (Manchester)
• Enfield Disability Action
• Walsall Disability Information and Advice LineLiving Options Devon Ealing Centre for Independent Living
• Living Options Devon
• Ealing Centre for Independent Living
• Vision Sense Limited (Jarrow) who will be mentoring Sunderland.
• Choices and Rights Disability Coalition (Hull), who will be mentoring Richmond North Yorkshire.
• Essex Coalition of Disabled People who will be mentoring Essex Coalition of Disabled People.

The Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) will work closely with the 12 sites to provide facilitation, support and access to specialist expertise. They will support a learning network between Action and Learning Sites and amongst other prospective or existing User-led organisations.

A second round of funding was made available for 2009-10.