Developing your organisation - What is capacity building?
This film explains what capacity building is, what it means to Disabled Peoples Organisations and why it is important as an ongoing process. This can help DPOs to be sustainability and ensure they can respond appropriately to both internal and external changes.
In this film are; Mel Close, Judith Stephenson, Disability Equality North West (DENW). Kevin Caulfield, Alliance for Inclusive Education. Joanna Matthews, Coventry and Warwickshire Council of Disabled People . Anastasia Kelly, Shefflied Centre for Independent Living (SCIL). Theo Blackmore, Disability Cornwall. Jaspal Dhani, United Kingdom Disabled Peoples Council.
Resources
Less Courses More Conversations; Mainstream Capacity Building and Disabled Peoples Organisations - Outlines the purpose of capacity building and characteristics of Disabled Peoples Organisations, including activities, added value and their financial position within the broader Disability charity sector.
Self assessment tools
DPO/ULO self assessment tool by Disability Equality North West - This toolkit can be used by all participants to self assess how they currently reflect the ethos of Disabled People’s Organisations and/or User Led Organisations. This will enable each organisation to produce an in house analysis of how well they are doing and if they should wish to identify any gaps within their own organisation; identify the skills and training needs of staff/board/trustees in their own organisation. (download).
Organisational development toolkit by Disability Awareness in Action - This toolkit looks at how organisations of disabled people can improve their structures and the way they work; how they can train and develop individuals to benefit the whole group; how the organisation itself can then become a better tool for changing the community and the lives of disabled people (page link).
National Centre for Independent Living ULO resources - Documents, information and shared learning about developing and sustaining user led organisations created as part of the Department of Health User Led Organisation Project (page link).
Useful Links
There are a number of organisations who provide capacity building advice and support to DPOs.
DIAL UK - national organisation for a network of approximately 120 local disability information and advice services run by and for disabled people.
National Centre for Independent Living - National support, advice and consultancy organisation that aims to enable disabled people to be equal citizens with choice, control, rights and full economic, social and cultural lives.
United Kingdom Disabled Peoples' Council - working with over 300 disabled people’s organisations, and are running consultation and capacity building events all over the country. These events aim to strengthen the role of disabled people’s organisations, as it is only through them that we can achieve true equality.
Shaping Our Lives National User Network - an independent user-controlled organisation, think tank and network.
Local CVS - from NAVCA lists local and regional infrastructure organisations in England. This includes all NAVCA members which operate on a district-wide, county-wide or region-wide basis. It also includes other selected non-member local infrastructure organisations.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations - aims to give a shared voice to voluntary organisations and to help them achieve the highest standards of practice and effectiveness in all areas of their work.