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Issue 2
SAIF set up a Standards Working Group (SWG) during 1997 to look at one of the recommendations which came out of the Enabling Information report. SAIF's remit is to 'develop national standards for use in disability information provision and; promote these standards through publications, seminars etc'.
The SWG has been meeting since October 1997 and has clarified the aspects of the service that the standards should cover and identified who will benefit from standards. Although the Working Group's priority is to ensure that the user of the service is the main beneficiary from standards, staff and funders would also benefit from assessing services. They would be able to identify what is done well in addition to indicating areas for improvement.
The underlying aim of the Working Group is to make sure that the standards are easy to understand and use, and that they enhance the work of the services which use them rather than add to their workload. The Working Group is now commissioning the design and production of a master standards package.
The successful contractor will be expected to liaise with a cross section of information and advice providers, as well as with other agencies who have produced similar standards packages which may prove useful and avoid duplication.
While the standards package is being designed, the Working Group will continue to meet to look at how the standards will be implemented once they are produced.
In the meantime, we are looking for potential users of the package who would be interested in piloting the standards. The Working Group is keen to involve information providers at different stages of the process so they can feed their views and experiences into the production of the final package.
If you are an information provider with an interest in disability information and are interested in piloting the standards, please contact Sarah Smith at SAIF for details.
If you would like any of these, please send us an email to: