It's a question of Funding?
Many (if not most) of you have experienced the soul-destroying frustration of trying to obtain funding for your Access Technology needs. Typically, one of the most regular requests we get is: ”Do you know of any organisations that will assist me in getting equipment funded?”. Unfortunately the answer is not as simple as giving you a single contact point where unlimited funding is immediately available.
However, for those who are committed to walking “the long road to funding”, there are several options open to you, the most recent being the offer made by the Thabo Mbeki Development Trust for Disabled People. There is no doubt that there is an increase in awareness of the need for funding and we are seeing tangible results where organisations are introducing schemes to help disabled people. To name one example, more and more persons with Low Vision are able to obtain their Electronic Magnifiers with the assistance of their Medical Aids, something not too common in the past.
A few of the more active benefactors are listed below. Please note that this is by no means a complete list and that in most cases, there are proviso’s for applicants wishing to access the available funds. However, the message is clear – funding is being made available and in the future, will become more and more available to you.
Before you read further, herewith a few comments regarding funding applications. We’ve had face-to-face meetings with the key people within the below-mentioned organisations and a few common threads have emerged that we would like to share with you:
We’ve mentioned that proviso’s are in place for funding to be released. Ensure that the organisation you approach doesn’t exclude you in the category of people it will fund (students at University/Technikon, employed persons etc.).
In the case of students applying for funding, key criteria are often the commitment of the student to his studies, his/her academic progress, the financial background of the student etc. With abuses of funding being common in the past, more stringent controls are inevitable with a more pronounced role of the product supplier and Disability Officer/Financial Aid Officer being envisaged.
In the case of employed persons, where the employer is unable to provide accommodation, a thorough motivation of why the equipment is needed, is required. Increase in productivity, access to the workplace etc. are key factors in the application process.
Once funding has been made available, the key result that must be shown is successful application of the equipment purchased, increase in productivity, increase in academic performance etc. Where Funds are still in pilot testing phases, a sure way to have the project suspended or slowed, is the abuse of funding or the lack of performance by the beneficiary after obtaining the equipment. The latter is often the cause of great frustration for managers of funds designed to assist disabled people.
Thabo Mbeki Development Trust for Disabled People (www.mbekitrust.co.za)
Most of you will have seen the recent announcements regarding this project. It’s important to note some important facts surrounding the TMDTDP.
The Assistive Devices Programme focuses on the provision of assistive devices to employed disabled people to enable them to secure and sustain employment.
The second consideration is that the project is in a Pilot Phase, meaning that a process is now being developed by which future programs will be designed and expanded to include other beneficiaries.
The organisation through which the final applications must be submitted is the SANCB. Once applicants have completed the necessary forms indicating their Access Technology of choice, they must forward their documents to the SANCB who in turn will forward the applications to the TMDTDP.
The TMDTDP intends purchasing those items for which funding was requested directly from the relevant Access Technology suppliers and you are therefore encouraged to consult directly with a supplier of your choice to determine the best solutions for your needs. We will help you select and motivate your request for the right Access Technology products.
Sensory Solutions are approved suppliers to the Thabo Mbeki
Development Trust for Disabled People.
For more information on the TMDTDP, please contact
info@sensorysolutions.co.za
National Student Financial Aid Scheme (www.nsfas.org.za)
If you are a registered student with a recognised University or Technikon, you might be eligible for a grant from the NSFAS.
This Financial Aid Scheme is exclusively for registered students (not post-graduate) who are registered at recognised educational institutions.
Disability Grants are made at the discretion of NSFAS and are based upon student background, academic performance, financial position etc.
Students are encouraged to approach their Financial Aid Officer or Disability Officer on campus to assist with the application process.
Products that are needed and for which funding will be requested, will be supplied directly by the relevant Access Technology supplier.
Students are therefore encouraged to obtain all the necessary product information from their Access Technology provider of choice and together with the provider and Disability Officer, submit the applications to NSFAS for those products.
To date, Sensory Solutions have helped students across South Africa to obtain Access Technology products worth in excess of R600,000.00 through NSFAS funding.
While the NRF has various categories of granting financial aid such as Student Support, Mobility etc, scholarships are specifically aimed at post-graduate students enrolling in Honours, Master’s or Doctoral studies in South Africa. Because of the range of assistance offered, contact the NRF with your specific requirements for funding. However, you are once again encouraged to contact an Access Technology provider to determine the exact Access Technology products you require.
E-mail
supportdesk@nrf.ac.za
Other
If you are embarking on studies into particular fields such as engineering, science etc. there may also be particular bursaries and scholarships available to you.
You can also contact the
SANCB for information on their in-house bursaries and loans to visually impaired persons.
(www.sancb.org.za)
BlindSA (formerly SABWO) also offers an annual grant for visually impaired persons. Up to 60 grants are paid out on merit only. Blind SA also provides interest-free loans to visually impaired people.
(www.blindsa.org.za)
Furthermore, the
Department of Labour also manages a bursary project for people with disabilities. Contact the relevant Provincial Department of Labour for more information.
Click here for contact details of Provincial Department of Labour
It is imperative that a message of hope reaches all visually impaired persons in South Africa who require financial aid for the furtherance of their studies or the acquisition of Access Technology in their daily lives. We encounter many people who are not at all aware of the possibilities and as a result, never ask for help, despite their circumstances specifically justifying it.
Basic Conditions of Employment applies to all employers and workers and regulates employment conditions such as leave, working hours (ordinary, Sundays and public holidays), employment contracts, employee records, deductions, pay slips, overtime, and termination.
In addition to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Department of Labour has also issued Sectoral Determinations which set employment conditions for vulnerable sectors of the workforce.
Click here to see more on the basic conditions of employment as issued by the Department of Labour.
