The Connect Project. Sensory Trust.

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Connect

Thanks to funding from Lloyds TSB Foundation, the Sensory Trust has started the Connect project that will run for three years and focuses on improving access to the environment and equality of experience for people with learning disabilities and older disabled people.

Due to some happy coincidences we have been able to start the consultation programme early and this is now well underway. This has been helpful in understanding some of the issues we are addressing, such as the benefits of people having access to the outdoors, what barriers prevent this from happening and the improvements that need to be implemented to open up these opportunities for people.

The project is focusing on people with learning disabilities and older disabled people as we have found they are two of the most excluded groups who often have very specific and individual needs. This can be most apparent when talking about the outdoor environment as this can present a range of barriers to access. Understanding that there are barriers is crucial in finding ways to open up the immense benefits that are found in gaining access to the outdoors and of contact with nature.

The first year of the Connect project involves consultation with organisations, people with learning disabilities, families, carers and older disabled people. It is important to start by talking to people and establishing baseline data, to see where our resources will best be directed to ensure we can make a difference through the subsequent years of the project. We hope to unpick some of the issues people face and bring those to a wider audience, including disability organisations and practitioners involved in the provision of public greenspace. We expect this approach to give us a holistic view to balance the needs of people with appropriate access to the wider environment.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Disability Cornwall, Mencap, Eden Project and Widgit. Their help and support are crucial to the success of this project, providing expertise, networks, resources and experience of the issues we are addressing.