A new £2.5 million fund for people with disabilities has been announced by Minister for Disabled People, Esther McVey.
The fund will be open to Disabled People’s User Led Organisations, otherwise known as DPULOs, which are small, local organisations run by and for disabled people.
The aim is to ensure that people with disabilities across Britain have their voices heard at every level. The cash injection will be hugely advantageous for hundreds of community groups and organisations across the country providing better opportunities for people with disabilities.
Grassroots Projects
Ms McVey believes that the fund will have an instant impact by helping grassroots projects to succeed, she said: “Small grassroots disability organisations that are run by and for disabled people often have clear ideas about what works in their local area to support disabled people fulfil their potential and they tell me that a small amount of funding at the right time can make a difference.”
The funding will give people with disabilities the opportunities to gain support whether it’s for learning new skills or preparing for a new career.
Innovation
One of the first organisations to use the cash have invested in further development of a mobile app for blind people which recently won a Google ‘Outstanding Use of Technology’ award. The app called ‘Georgie’ was developed to assist blind people with everyday tasks such as catching the bus and reading printed text.
Sam Wardhan, who benefited from the funding said: “It’s great the DPULO programme is making funding available to support disabled business leaders. I don’t need much help to achieve my ambitions but the award plugged a gap and I would have struggled without it.”
