PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Signpost is a voluntary organisation which aims to support families who have children with additional support needs within West Lothian and help them to recognise the opportunities and services appropriate to their unique circumstances, in an area where children also suffer the disadvantages of social isolation, poverty and unequal access to information.
It gives disabled children and their carers a chance to make their voices heard, and gives them the support they need to make the best use of opportunities. It aims to empower them to see themselves as “equal partners” in decision-making, alongside the statutory agencies. It also brings people together to support one another.
The main activities of the organisation are:
· One-stop shop and a first response for parents, to listen and help create a positive plan to achieve improvements by providing information and informal emotional support one-to-one.
· Building expert knowledge about, and “signposting” to, local services – where necessary - and offering individuals specific information and support to make best use of such services
· Supporting families by assisting at meetings when difficulties & challenges are presented.
· Community-building through links to local support groups, and via the newsletter, facebook and web-site
· Training courses for parents to have tailor-made information easily accessible and support where there is no such availability regarding additional support needs.
· Events for families to increase awareness/improve access to information
· Input into local policy/planning groups and professional working groups to ensure that users’ voices are heard, and feedback to Signpost members
· Co-operation with other organisations to ensure co-ordinated service/no duplication of effort
There are potentially over 3,000 disabled/additional support needs children living in West Lothian. Signpost can meet the needs of families of young people from birth to around age 18, after which families may be directed to adult services which is more able to meet their needs.
Signpost has developed over the 15 years based in West Lothian and has built links with many community and statutory organisations. It has four part-time staff, comprising two co-project managers, an information and family support worker and 1 family support worker.
Enquiries have developed from around 100 in the first few years to 755 in 2015 alone.
The project has to find its own running costs and this varies from year-to-year.
The project operates from Beatlie School Campus, Livingston, which is a multi-disciplinary base for health & education staff, together with voluntary organisations. At present, the office is open to enquirers from 9 am - 4pm Mon-Thurs and until 1pm on Fridays, on a ‘drop in’ basis, and the help-line also operates within these hours. Staff can work flexibly across the week between 9am and 4pm. Some unsocial hours can occur, and these can be reclaimed as time in lieu.
The organisation has a management committee which oversees the running of Signpost, open to carers, professionals, and others interested in the welfare of children with additional support needs. There are currently eight Trustees. Signpost became a SCIO – Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation – SCO32398 – in 2012 and gained the PQASSO quality mark in December 2015
Recruitment Procedures – Project Description
Elizabeth Stevenson, co-Project Manager Revised/updated June 2016