Gateshead Access Panel

Began life around 18 years ago as a project of a local charity. 'The Panel' - as it is now - was developed by Christine Pickersgill and a group of dedicated volunteers who were spurred on by their experiences of the discrimination they faced caused by exclusive design and attitudes. After 10 years of developing good practice guidelines through consultation with disabled service users, the Panel became so successful that it became a separate, constituted organisation with a management committee of disabled people and funding for two workers from the Community Fund ( previously the National Lottery Charities Board ).

In 1997 'Designing to Enable' was produced by Christine Pickersgill - who stayed with the Panel when it separated from the parent organisation - and Steve Smith who then worked as a volunteer. Never before had an access guide offered such in-depth, 'user recommended' guidelines towards independent access. As a result the book quickly built up a reputation as 'the definitive' guide for 'best practice' access design. Very quickly 'Designing to Enable' was adopted by disability groups, architects, building managers, colleges, universities, health authorities and local authorities as their access standards. The book continues to sell extensively in the UK and has sold copies in The Channel Islands, Ireland, Africa and Israel.

The Panel is an independent organisation . We receive consultancy fees from Local Authorities, Health Authorities, business and other Voluntary Organisations for work which includes auditing, consultancy, research, Disability Discrimination Act training and disability equality training.

Having started in a very small office in 1997 with two paid workers, the organisation moved to larger premises at the beginning of 2001. There are now eight paid workers in post. In addition to producing 'Designing to Enable', the work of Gateshead Access Panel is very varied involving many issues concerning disability. This work includes -

• Access / Disability Discrimination Act Auditing
• Research
• Training in Disability Equality and Awareness
• Access Audit Training
• Volunteering Opportunities
• Advocacy
• Information Provision
• Accessible Design Service
• Facilities Testing

All of our policy is decided by a management committee of disabled people which is elected by a general membership of disabled people.

What We Believe

We Believe in a Social Model of Disability: Disability is caused by the way society is organised and run, not necessarily by a persons impairment. However, where a disabled person - even with best practice design of the built environment and services - can not function fully, then there will be a case for an individual assessment of need to allow them independence.

We Believe in an 'independent' approach to access issues: The built environment should facilitate people to be as independent as possible and the only way to ensure an accessible environment is by involving groups of people with varying impairments in all stages of the planning and design processes.

We Believe that some disabled people need a carer / personal assistant, but that such assistance should arise from the persons impairment and not from the design of buildings, facilities or services. We strongly advocate use of direct payments and personal assistance for those people who want it.