Norwood didn’t have to match the bonus ball number, but nonetheless found itself with the winning ticket when it was awarded £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund. The money will be used by Norwood’s Supported Employment Service to pilot an innovative new project which will help people with learning disabilities acquire new skills at home and in the workplace through assistive technology.
Learning news skills around the house and at work are an important part of leading a fulfilling life, although for people with learning disabilities the process can sometimes feel overwhelming. Through the use of 10 hand-held Personal Digital Assistant devices (PDAs), the project aims to help the people who use Norwood’s services overcome any potential obstacles and assist them to perform daily routines or carry out everyday tasks, including making a cup of tea, using a photocopier, running a bath or using a DVD player. Over time, the PDA will automatically remove certain steps from a pre-programmed sequence to the point where the person can perform the task from memory and no longer depends on the device.
In line with Norwood’s three-year Change a Life strategy, the project, which will be trialled for around nine months, aims to help people who use the Charity’s services to develop their abilities and lead a more fulfilling and independent life. In addition to the lottery grant, a further £5,000 has been generously donated by the Hilda and Samuel Marks Charitable Trust, which will go towards providing additional PDA devices and contribute to staff training and quarterly reviews.
Linda Looney, Project Development Manager for Norwood’s Lifelong Learning service, said: “Winning the funding to buy this equipment will provide the people we support with a fantastic opportunity, not only to improve their skills, but to reduce their levels of dependence on staff. I hope this opportunity will give the people who use Norwood’s services a chance to feel liberated.”
