Camden Disability Action

Camden Disability Action is a UK-based pan-disability, user-led nonprofit organization founded in 2015. It is dedicated to advocating for and facilitating the involvement of disabled people in Camden, London, by addressing and removing the barriers that limit their participation in community life. The charity works to build a Camden that is accessible and inclusive for everyone, particularly focusing on disabled individuals’ rights and needs.

Mission and Activities

The organization operates with a social model of disability perspective, viewing disability as a result of societal barriers rather than individual impairments. Camden Disability Action emphasizes empowering disabled people to lead in shaping services and policies that affect them. Its core activities include:

• Facilitating involvement and engagement of deaf and disabled people in community and statutory agency processes.
• Identifying needs of disabled individuals and developing targeted projects to address those needs.
• Raising awareness of disability issues within statutory bodies and the wider community.
• Delivering training and building individual capacity among disabled people to enhance their choice, control, and participation in local life.
• Engaging in community-led, disability-led approaches to tackle employment disadvantage experienced by disabled residents and those with long-term health conditions.

Projects and Community Engagement

One notable initiative involves collaboration with People's Voice Media to document and analyze the experiences of disabled people facing labor market disadvantages, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through community reporting, Camden Disability Action collects diverse personal stories highlighting barriers to employment, which inform co-produced solutions aimed at increasing labor market inclusion for disabled people.

Funding and Financial Overview

For the financial year ending March 31, 2024, Camden Disability Action reported a total income of £625,637. This income was derived from multiple sources, including:

• Donations and legacies: £173,350
• Charitable activities: £321,890
• Other trading activities: £125,880
• Investments: £4,510

The charity's total expenditure for the same period amounted to £529,798, with the majority spent on charitable activities (£448,610) and the remainder on raising funds (£81,190). The organization received significant financial support through government contracts (£94,374) and grants (£320,000).

Governance

Camden Disability Action is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under charity number 1162787. As a user-led organization, it ensures that disabled people have strong representation in decision-making processes, guiding the charity’s strategic direction and operational activities.

Camden Disability Action continues to play a vital role in promoting disability rights and inclusion in Camden, providing disabled people with powerful opportunities to influence policies and community developments that affect their lives.

[1] https://camdendisabilityaction.org.uk [2] https://camdendisabilityaction.org.uk/about-us/our-organisation/ [3] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5052621/full-print [4] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5052621/charity-overview [5] https://peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk/camden/