Introduction to Service

Ideal for All's Information Service offers impartial advice and information on a wide range of disability related issues. The service aims to provide disabled people and carers with information that will enable them to access to a range of services and equipment. This will support individuals to make more informed choices about issues that affect them.

Our main aim is to provide a service for the residents of the borough. However, we will try to resolve all enquiries.

Since April 2003, the Information Service has integrated with Reception at the Independent Living Centre. This has given the service the ability to:

• Run Open Afternoon tours of the Independent Living Centre
• Manage the booking of meeting rooms at the ILC.
• Provide support to other Services at the Independent Living Centre.
• Promote Ideal for All in Sandwell.

We provide confidential information, advice and support.

What Information do we provide?

The Information Service holds a range of information on disability-related equipment and services including:

• Equipment: Bathlifts, Hoists, Car Adaptations, Stairlifts, Wheelchairs, Scooters, Commodes, Adjustable Beds... to name but a few.
• Services: Support Groups (e.g. MS Society, Parkinson's Disease Society), Information for Carers, Disability Legislation, Services in Sandwell, Services for Older People, Holidays � UK based and Abroad.

Personal Visit

You can make a personal visit to the Centre. It may be advisable to telephone beforehand to ensure that someone is available when you visit.

What happens once I have made an enquiry to the Service?

Once you have contacted the Information Service, the staff aim to deal with your enquiry as soon as possible.

Tours

Open Afternoons are run monthly. The tours are available to professionals and individuals. Maximum number of people on a tour is 10. However a tour may be cancelled if less than five people have booked on a tour.
Anybody wishing to attend an open afternoon must book prior to coming on the tour. Please contact the Information Service for more details.

Promotion

The Information Service attends a range of local, regional and national events to promote the services of Ideal for All. If you would like Ideal for All to attend an event you are organising where they can promote the services they offer, please contact the service during the hours indicated below.

Monday to Thursday from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm
Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

We are available to attend evening events.

Volunteering

The Information Service plays a key role in regard to the many and varied opportunities for volunteering offered by Ideal for All.

Sessions are structured in such a way that suits each individual, whilst assisting the work of both the Information Service and IFA in general.
Volunteering offers disabled people the opportunity to learn new skills or update old ones, in and environment that is work-based, but relaxed and supportive at the same time. Please contact us for further details.

"I feel happier and more relaxed. I feel more capable of doing the work that is given to me. I do more work than I do at college. All the people are nice to talk to here. I enjoy it more. Some of the things that I did at college didn't take into account my disability, for example, gardening, which I struggled with." Jaskaran Shorcara, Volunteer