About APDs

WE CHANGE LIVES BY: 

• Ability Job Creation Centres: We create income-generating work opportunities for persons with disabilities 
• Ability Day Care Centre for Children with Disabilities: We care for and provide daily physical and mental stimulation programmes for 32 profoundly disabled children 
• Ability Social Services: Our social work team provides social services (e.g. home visits, assisting with grant applications, etc.) to the disabled community we serve. We also involve ourselves with various community upliftment and development projects 
• Ability Recruitment: We place suitably qualified applicants with disabilities in the open-labour market 
• Ability Advocacy: We advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities by: Speaking on behalf of the disability sector in public and private arenas; conducting accessibility assessments of facilities and services; and facilitating disability sensitisation training programmes 
• Ability Inspire: We inspire change by sharing the stories of the people we serve 

Of equal importance is our service in the social arena. Our team of social workers provides individual and family counseling and generic social work services to clients. The main demand for their services is rendered to the disadvantaged communities in and around Nelson Mandela Bay. Assistance with referrals for grant applications, rehabilitation services, referrals to special schools, assessments for assistive devices (e.g. wheelchairs), are only some of the services we render to our communities. 

The APD Day Care Centre for Children with Disabilities was established in 2006. Our premises on the edge of Motherwell provides for 30 children between the ages of 1 – 7 years. The centre is professionally managed by one of our senior social workers. We also enjoy the assistance of professional services from the Department of Health who provide occupational therapy and physiotherapy. 

Jean Webber Home 
Jean Webber is a unique residential empowerment facility for persons with severe physical disabilities. This facility provides a home for 37 people who need physical support for most essential activities of daily living. 

Kopano Protective Workshop 
The Kopano Protective Workshop enables and empowers persons with disabilities to become more independent. We currently have 50 participants in the workshop. 

The Kopano Protective Workshop train and develop participants through: 

• Skills development 
• Productivity 
• Quality of life 
• Prospects of work 
• Encourage self-employment 

Emelia Day Care 
Emelia is a Day Care Centre for children with multiple disabilities located in Batho, Bloemfontein. Emelia Day Care Centre is a non-governmental organization, and relies on donations to keep the centre running. 

There are approximately 20 children in this centre, with multiple disabilities ranging from Down Syndrome to Cerebral Palsy. All of these children are from disadvantaged communities. 

Venues for Hire 
We offer venues for small functions. 

• Book Clubs, Bible Study Groups, Tea Parties, ect. 
• Bathroom Facilities
• Light Lunches, Cake & Tea Functions 
• Maximum 15 – 20 persons
• Hire Venue Per Hour 
• Safe Parking 

Include:

• Social Work & Therapeutic Services – incl. Protective & Support Counselling services
• Promote & showcase the skills & talent of persons with disabilities;
• Referrals & assistance in accessing state grants & pensions;
• Employment & learnership placements
• Assessment & Securing of mobility aids such as wheelchairs etc
• Mentorship & Guidance to Affiliated Members & Developing Member
• Sensitization training to change attitudes towards persons with disabilities & eliminate discrimination
• Assistance for application of parking discs, vehicle Rebates & Beach access permits (promoting mobility of persons with disabilities)
• Advocacy & Lobbying in the interests of Persons with Disabilities

1. AWARENESS RAISING AND INFORMATION
   A weekly radio program to inform the communities of the different aspects linked to the variety of disabilities, and prevention.
2. INFORMATION SESSIONS
   At schools, informing learners about disabilities and how they can interact with children/learners with impairments, learning challenges and special needs. 
3. ADVOCACY OF PERSON’S HUMAN RIGHTS 
   Regular referrals for investigation to the Human Rights Commission in Upington.  
4. PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
   +-450 beneficiaries and their family members are supported by 4 Social Workers and one Auxiliary Worker in all the communities from Boegoeberg to Lesedene, in and around Upington, Kenhardt, Keimoes, Kakamas, to Augrabies, Danielskuil, Posmansburg, Rietfontein, Askam, as well as a Social Worker in Springbok, servicing 5 Municipalities.
5. STATUTORARY WORK 
   Services to +-50 children in alternative care, foster care and placed in Child and Youth Care Centres and Special Care Centres 
6. ACCESSIBILITY
   Enhancing access to assistive devices, Justice, grants, buildings, education, health, transport, etc.
7. DEVELOPMENT ROGRAMME
   12 Persons with various disabilities form part of our Protective Workshop, where they are taught different skills and entrepreneurship. Their products provide an income to further their training.
8. PLACEMENT IN CARE FACILITIES VOLUNTEERS 
   Assist the professional and office personnel in raising funds for daily running cost and projects.  
9. CASUAL DAY
10. NAPPY RUN

SERVICES RENDERED 

• Free Social Work Services  
• Information 
• Statutory work by designated social workers  
• Rental of wheelchairs
• Help with information to buy assistive devices
• Special adapted vehicle to hire for licensing and adaptation post disability 
• Drafting of CV and job placement for persons with disabilities
• Referrals to specialist services, as the need of the beneficiary requires
• Assisting with access to assistive devices
• A voice for people with disabilities
• Participation in sport
• Transport to town or hospital at affordable prices
• Skills development for protective workshop
• Handmade gifts of wood, clay, leather, mosaic and much more are available from our workshop

APD Branches provide direct services to persons with disabilities in both urban and rural areas:

• Social Development 
• Day Care
• Work & Employment
• Education 
• Peer Support 
• Transport 
• Awareness raising 

In turn, Branches receive guidance from our management team in terms of:

• Programme management: Good corporate governance to ensure legal compliance
• Supervision
• Service Delivery 
• Human Resource management 
• Financial guidance
• Training in all facets of service delivery 
• Guidance on awareness raising 

Projects include:

• Peer Support 
  Persons with disabilities are trained to provide peer support to those in their communities who have just begun their journey with disability.
• Ukhula Programme
  The project is built on three themes, namely “I am”, “I can” and “We are”.  Each one of these themes are integrated into all the functions and strategic objectives that APD delivers and will be implemented over a three-year period.
• #1Less
  #1Less is a theme with underlines all projects, campaigns and services with the aim of striving towards achieving #1Less person with a disability each day, e.g.  
  Employment = #1Less person with a disability without employment 
  Education = #1Less child with a disability outside the school system, and so on. 
• Distracted Driving
  Encourages drivers to focus while driving so as to reduce the number of serious injuries resulting from road & pedestrian accidents