By Catie Guitart 09 September 2011 14:48 BSTA Scottish charity has launched a new campaign to improve the quality of life for disabled people by including them in the design of services and everyday household products from their living rooms.The Blackwood Foundation has launched the bespoken campaign to recognise disabled people as experts on independent living at a time when many face increasingly significant barriers to living independently from benefits reform and cuts to care services.
Edinburgh based The Blackwood Foundation has launched a social networking site to help people with disabilities share their tips on how to overcome everyday challenges they face with appliances and technology.
Social media site bespoken will also be aimed at families and carers as well as professionals working with disabled people and is the first website in the UK to connect users with developers to help disabled people improve the designs of everything from kitchens, computers and wheelchairs to can openers.
bespoken was set up after research carried out by The Blackwood Foundation found poor design of homes and household products often left people living with a physical or sensory disability feeling frustrated and excluded.
The research also found a lack of information available about the designs and availability of technology to support people who live independently.
Over a hundred disabled people across Scotland reported that poor design often left them feeling they had to rely on others for everyday tasks. And many said they couldn’t afford products in the disability market so they had come up with ‘do-it-yourself’ solutions.
Mr Jaz McDougall, 53, found gadgets for his electric wheelchair too expensive so he sourced himself a mobile phone holder that attaches to workmen’s belts and attached it to his chair. He also fashioned headlights by inserting a cylindrical torch.
The Blackwood Foundation says the £10,000 Big Lottery Funded site will benefit disabled people, carers and care professionals working with them as well as drive innovation for new products that will make life easier for disabled people.
Director David Jarrold said: “We have been inspired by the ingenuity that disabled people demonstrate every day. We hope bespoken will be a forum where disabled people can share their knowledge.
“It also creates a tool for us where we link technology developers with the end user. Our goal is to actively drive innovation for new products that make a difference to people’s quality of life.”
“Service providers and companies try to meet the needs of disabled people but can lack insight and personalisation to get it right. That’s where we can help. And we hope it will become a global resource.”
Elspeth Molony, Senior Policy and Consultancy Manager at Capability Scotland said: “Congratulations to the team at bespoken for creating a unique online community and resource. Disabled and older people are the absolute experts in independent living. The more we bring their expertise and vision into the design and development process, the better the tools will be to support independence and life choices.”
