NEWS FROM THE.SPONGE PROJECT - JANUARY 2010 Sample Notice Please copy and distribute this small notice. You are welcome to add a translation in any of your local languages. ************************************************************************ SMS INFORMATION SERVICE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE Do you need rehabilitation or other disability services? To find out what is available in your area, SMS your name, town and the service you need to 072-172 2623 (You can use your free SMS's) ********************************************************************** Many thanks to all the individuals and organisations in the disability sector who have given us constructive comments and other encouragement since we started this project early in 2009. We also thank AXXESS DSL, based in Port Elizabeth, for providing the technical support. This newsletter is to bring you up to date with our progress with implementing this community service. It offers disabled people and their supporting organisations an opportunity to locate rehabilitation or related services in their area by using a cell phone. INTRODUCTION * After working for many years with individuals and their supporting organisations in the disability sector, we realised that most disabled people did not know about the rehabilitation and related services that were available to them from NGOs and government departments in their area. This particularly applied to disabled people living in rural parts of South Africa. * We also felt that although the National Rehabilitation Policy was launched by the Department of Health in 2000 to encourage government departments to collaborate on the rehabilitation of disabled people, many NGOs and government departments were still working in isolation, with little information about each other. * Cell phone and related technology had become a powerful communication tool, particularly in the banking industry, but as far as we could determine, was not being fully utilised by the disability sector. * Monitoring traffic on the NAPSA and other Lists showed us that individual people who are blind, deaf or have other complex communication needs had already embraced cell phone technology. * We therefore designed an information system that would enable any disabled person to use a cell phone to find out about their nearest rehabilitation service provider. * The two main components of the information system are The.Sponge database of service providers, and a PC-based SMS system. * The.Sponge Project is a privately funded initiative and offers a free community service to cell phone users in any part of South Africa. THE SPONGE DATABASE * Early in 2009 we started developing The.Sponge, a database of NGOs, government departments and other organisations that we thought might provide services to disabled people. * We spent many hours finding websites and requesting contact details but unfortunately up to 30% of website info and email addresses was out of date. Although we had good cooperation from most NGOs and government departments, some played hard to get and ignored our emails. * Despite these frustrations, The.Sponge database grew to nearly 2500 service providers throughout South Africa and included a wide range of government departments, NGOs, FBOs, rehab resources, suppliers, recruitment agencies, professional associations, consultants, sport, tourism, the media and other organisations. * By November 2009, we thought we had enough verified entries in The.Sponge, so once we had received the gizmos from AXXESS DSL, we launched the system without any more analysis paralysis - just a good gut feel.. THE SMS SYSTEM * Originally we considered the SMS short code premium system but that proved too expensive to operate, and may have put off some users. * AXXESS DSL, assisted us to design a PC-based system to enable cell phone users to get information by a standard SMS. ( Callers can use their free SMS's). They kindly provided a 3G modem to receive any SMS sent to 072-172 2623, and use of their SMS gateway for us to respond to callers. * In November 2009 we launched the information service with a media release sent to over 2000 NGOs and government departments in our database of service providers. * We asked organisations to use their networks to publicise the SMS number and put up notices in their offices and in hospitals and clinics, welfare offices, SASSA pay points, Post Offices, Police Stations, Libraries, Schools, Ward Councillor offices and other places in the community. * Callers who sent an SMS to 072-172 2623, giving us their name, town and the info they require would be sent an SMS giving them contact details of the nearest rehabilitation service providers. We would also send an email to the service provider to ask them to make direct contact with the caller. * We were excited to start receiving calls almost immediately although the first few calls were from members of organisations who were just 'testing' us - but that gave us an opportunity to check the PC systems. These have proved themselves and shown us that we can communicate with disabled people throughout South Africa. * It is important to note that - a) we do NOT operate a call centre, and only respond to an SMS. b) we do NOT attempt to provide detailed info to the caller - that is the job of the service provider * We are pleased that we have already had calls from all over South Africa and from all disabilities. THE CALLERS Then we started to get some serious calls - here are some examples. * C of Springs, deaf, wanted help to make a hospital appointment. Assisted by DEAFSA. * M of Cape Town, blind, wanted sighted partner for canoeing. Assisted by NAPSA Blind List. * H of Milnerton, quad, wanted therapy. Referred to Western Cape Rehab Centre. * L of Mamelodi, wanted wheelchair. Assisted by APD Johannesburg. * M of Moqhaka, blind, wanted cane for mobility. Referred to Free State Society for Blind. * S of Polokwane, deaf, wanted sign language training. Referred to Thibiloga. * Dr P of Katlehong, wanted rehab for S, shot and paralysed. Referred to QASA. * B of Cape Town, wanted info on managing paranoia. Assisted by SADAG. * U of PE, wanted to get disability grant. Referred to APD NMB. TAILPIECE * We are very concerned that some calls were from people who have been treated in hospital, but have not been referred to an appropriate outpatients clinic or NGO for continuing support. The result is that many disabled adults and children and their families often have to struggle on alone, unaware that there are often rehabilitation resources freely available to them. * This indicates that the medical profession are often ignorant of the wealth of experience that lies with the disabled people who form support groups, and the social workers and other staff working in NGOs. Without those referrals, NGOs and support groups do not develop the necessary capacity. * We are also concerned that some staff in government departments do not seem to realise that most disabled people are not actually ill. They also do not appear to know the difference between Primary Health Care and Rehabilitation. * Some NGOs say that they do not have funds to advertise their services. Consequently many disabled people have no idea where to go for rehabilitation. * In any case there is such a bewildering variety of organisations throughout the disability sector in South Africa that it is not clear who should be consulted about what. (Will we ever get a toll free number for 'disability rehab'?) HOW YOU CAN HELP US * Please make copies of the sample notice given at each end of this newsletter and display copies in your offices and anywhere in the community where they may be seen by disabled people or their families. * Please add translations in the local official languages so that the service is accessible to as many disabled people as possible. * Please update your website so that we can access your correct email address. Add the date when it was last updated. Check that the website has good visual contrast and is compatible with screen readers such as Window Eyes and JAWS. * Please provide a cell phone number so that people who are deaf or cannot talk can send you an SMS. * Please subscribe to one or more of the Rehabilitation/Disability(HST), NAPSA, AACSA or BLINDZA Lists. They are powerful communication and information tools and enable anyone who is disabled or provides services to the disability sector to talk and listen to each other. Contact us by email if you would like to find out how to subscribe. ^*^*^*^*^ We welcome any comments or questions on The.Sponge project, and any thoughts on how we can use social networking such as Facebook and Twitter, and SKYPE to improve the service to disabled people throughout South Africa. ^*^*^*^*^ PS: We apologise for any cross posting as this newsletter is distributed by email to all organisations listed in The.Sponge database and to subscribers to the Lists mentioned above. If you do not wish to receive future issues, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Regards Tony and Tim Webb, The.Sponge Project Team, Port Elizabeth. +27-41-368 3707, Mobile +27-82-290 3764, tony.webb@xxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sample Notice Please copy and distribute this small notice. You are welcome to add a translation in any of your local languages. ************************************************************************ SMS INFORMATION SERVICE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE Do you need rehabilitation or other disability services? To find out what is available in your area, SMS your name, town and the service you need to 072-172 2623 (You can use your free SMS's) ********************************************************************** END