Information about the HELP! For Disabled People Project
HELP! For Disabled People will provide a three tiered approach to ensuring
disabled people living in Birmingham and Solihull have access to vitally
important information, advice, guidance, advocacy and learning opportunities
to support and empower them to deal with the challenges and difficulties that
have arisen as a result of:
 Significant changes to the welfare system
 The effects of public sector spending cuts
 The current political, social and economic climate.
More specifically:
Tier One: HELP! Line and email help@disability.co.uk:
This tier will provide telephone, email and on-line information (via a link on
DRC’s website) and signposting services to enquirers and will operate during
standard working hours. HELP! Line will be administered by a suitably trained
and qualified Information Assistant and supported by trained volunteers and
will provide low-level information to enable disabled people to make informed
decisions about such matters as accessing services, personal assistance,
equipment, social welfare and benefit issues, finance and debt issues, housing
and signposting to statutory and other services.
Help! Line will also act as a 'triage' service to the other tiers of the service.
Tier two: HELP! With Critical Issues When You Need It Most:
Tier two will provide concrete support and assistance to disabled people in
need who are unable to resolve presenting issues for themselves as a result of
mental ill health, learning, sensory or physical impairment or disability. The
service will be delivered by experienced Case Workers specialising in the
provision of specialist information, advice, advocacy and representational
services for disabled people. Referrals to this service will be made from Tier
one enquiries, partner organisations and individuals in need and will cover
such issues as housing, finance and debt, health and wellbeing, safety,
welfare benefits, discrimination and access to statutory services.
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Tier three: HELP! To Learn New Skills and Do Things For Yourself:
Upon resolution of immediate issues, disabled people receiving Tier two
support will be able to access a range of formal and informal workshops and
learning opportunities delivered by the Training Officer and supported by
volunteers. These will be designed to deliver practical, accessible and personcentered hints, tips and advice to help prevent disabled people ending up in
crisis situations in the future. The aim of these sessions will be support
attendees to learn appropriate skills to manage and deal with the issues they
face in their daily lives and to prevent them from re-entering our tier two
support. Topics will include money management, welfare entitlements,
changes to the benefits system, managing a tenancy, staying safe, making a
complaint, accessing statutory services.
Tier three will also comprise peer support sessions in the form of regular
coffee mornings and social events to build support networks, friendships,
reduce isolation and build confidence in project beneficiaries.
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