Summary
After suspending all planned programmes due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Glasgow Disability Alliance rapidly adapted their network of support to ensure they were still able to service the needs of disabled communities through the COVID crisis.
Making A Difference
Between March and July 2020, GDA reached out to 5000+ disabled members and used their feedback to shape their COVID response. GDA have great resources detailing the impact of this work on their website, such as the infographic below.
From 16th March 2020, Glasgow Disability Alliance suspended all planned programmes due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. However, between March and July, the GDA reached out to 5000+ disabled members through phone calls, post and online. Support from funders such as Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and Bank of Scotland Foundation allowed the GDA to redirect resources as well as collect invaluable lived experience responses. The lived experiences of those 5000+ disabled members received in response to the Covid Resilience Survey has allowed the GDA to adapt, update and develop services to ensure all needs are being met, especially during the crisis of COVID-19.
What have we done?
GDA has adapted their ‘Rights Now! And Welfare Rights’ to remove barriers disabled people may face such as transport, communication and personal assistance support and home visits when required.
A Lifeline service has been set up, providing disabled people with food and home essentials they may be unable to access alone.
As well as what has been mentioned, the GDA also conducts check-in calls with their disabled members to ensure they feel supported and heard in challenging times, as well becoming one of Scotland’s first pilot communities to tackle digital exclusion of disabled people. GDA Connects has sourced, set up and distributed over 200 devices to disabled people alongside coaching to help participants get online.
What is happening now?
The GDA staff are still predominantly working from home and services are still being delivered by phone, post and online. However, there has been a limited number of face-face events within the GDA office, with each being risk-assessed and adjusted in line with the most up to date health advice.
Since the first lock down, GDA has made and received over 30,000 calls and have now spoken to over 6000 disabled members about their needs, experience and ideas for improvement of services being delivered. This ongoing conversation between GDA and those with lived experience continues to shape the response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well the Recovery and Renewal planning at Local and National Government levels.
