Birmingham Disability Consortium is committed to delivering customised employment support to meet the individual needs and preferences of clients. This also includes meeting client impairment needs.
The Consortium is only too aware that the ‘one size fits all’ approach to delivering employment and training support to priority client groups, including disabled people, does not work. Our member organisations have had previous experience of supporting disabled people and IB claimants who have been adversely affected by services delivered in this way.
The member organisations have formed this Disability Consortium in order to enable them, as third sector organisations delivering services to disabled people (including NEET disabled people) and IB claimants in Birmingham, to deliver this support into employment programmes for disabled people.
All members of the Disability Consortium are well established third sector organisations.
They are either located in or near to the communities they serve and have experience of delivering employment related services to people with disabilities.
Birmingham Disability Consortium comprises:
Specialised areas: Visually impaired - blind or partially sighted
Action has over 25 years experience of supporting visually impaired (VI) people into work, and supporting employers to support / retain visually impaired employees. They have been delivering employment support activity for VI people specifically across Birmingham since at least 2003, and have successfully delivered a number of employment support contracts in Birmingham and across the West Midlands.
Call us on 0121 665 4200 or E-mail
Specialised areas: Physically disabled and mental ill health
The Birmingham Disability Resource Centre (BDRC) is based in Yardley, and provides a range of independent support services to disabled people, their families and carers in Birmingham. The BDRC also provides a range of services to support voluntary and community sector organisations, employers and businesses which assist them to become more aware of disability equality issues and their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Call us on 0121 789 7365 or E-mail
Specialised areas: Mental ill health
BITA Pathways is a registered charity with 45 years experience as the largest provider of rehabilitation services to adults with a severe and enduring mental illness. BITA Pathways provides a range of support services which are designed to assist adults experiencing mental ill health in progressing towards open employment and community integration through personal growth and independence, with the focus on skills development.
Call us on 0121 773 1455 or E-mail
Specialised areas: Deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing
bid services (previously Birmingham Institute For The Deaf) provides support to people who are disadvantaged in the workplace due to them being deaf or having a hearing impairment. Where possible bid employs deaf people who have experience of the difficulties that can be faced by deaf people in securing employment. They then use this experience to effectively support individuals into training or employment.
Call us on 0121 246 6100 (minicom 0121 246 6101) or E-mail
Specialised areas: Mild to moderate learning difficulties
Birmingham Rathbone is a local charity whose mission is to enable people with mild to moderate learning difficulties to achieve their full potential. Established in 1985, the charity has worked continuously and successfully to deliver training, further education, supported employment, accommodation and supported housing and care services to around 1000 people a year.
Call us on 0121 684 0202 or E-mail
Specialised areas: Moderate to severe learning difficulties
Midland Mencap has over 50 years experience of working with children and adults with learning disabilities and addressing their complex needs. In the last 5 years they have won contracts to work with those who are furthest from the labour market, to develop their confidence and skills to enable them to move closer to their aspirations of gaining paid work.
Call us on 0121 442 2944 or E-mail