SPECTRUM Centre for
Independent Living
Think you know Disabled People ….. Think Again
Gerry Zarb
Business Development and
Policy Manager
SPECTRUM’s Development:
Past, Present and Future
SPECTRUM CIL: A Brief History
• Hampshire & Derbyshire CILs formed in early 1980’s with
Southampton CIL following in 1984
• SCIL started by Simon Brisenden, who had a dream …. to
change the world …. to celebrate difference
• Run and controlled by Disabled People. Only Disabled
members have voting rights.
• Bought a majority share in our base – Unity 12 - in 2007.
• At start of 2013 we changed our name and branding to
SPECTRUM to reflect the diversity of our activities and user
base
• “Think you know Disabled People …. Think Again”
Our Aims
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To enable Disabled People to take control
over their own lives
To achieve full participation and effect
changes in how Disabled People are
viewed and treated
To provide encouragement, assistance,
advice, support and for Independent
Living
Collective and individual empowerment
SPECTRUM’s Range of Enabling
Services
Supporting Disabled People’s empowerment:
• Peer based Support, Advice and Brokerage for people
using Direct payments or Personal Budgets
• PA Registers
• Continuing Care Agency - Self Directed Support
• Peer Advocacy and Peer Mentoring
• Personal Development and empowerment training
Promoting Disability Equality:
• Training & Consultancy - Public Bodies & Business
• Consumer & Access Audits
• Practice Learning and Training (e.g. Social Work Student
placements)
• User Involvement (e.g. the Personalisation Expert Panel)
Most importantly: We champion Disabled People’s
rights and represent progressive social policy views
SCIL founded on User Led
Organisation (ULO) Principles
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Run and Controlled by Disabled People or Carers
Peer-support
Independent Living & Social Model of Disability
Campaign for human rights
Provide advice and support to enable Disabled
People to live independently
• But we must accept where the world has
moved to; and move with it,
• Find new ways to be relevant
• Strive to be more diverse and inclusive
ULO’s in Hard Times
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Finding it harder to survive – lack of Local
Authority support and tendering rules
CIL’s & ULOs are at a crossroads –
We will survive, not by resting on our laurels, but
by being positive and dynamic.
To thrive we need to have something to offer:
Unique Selling Points
An organisation with ethics, values and
principles
Being different and distinctive
Demonstrate our ability to innovate and
DELIVER
Securing our future: Purchasing Unity 12
We purchased our own building in 2007 to
secure our future and generate new
sources of income
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Needed Management Committee to take a
bold decision
Capital Loan from Future Builders
• Grants totalling £142,500
• Loan £364,500 (max)
• Total: £507,500
SCIL 60% majority shareholder
Would we do it again?
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YES - YES – YES
HOWEVER: be aware of what you are
setting up for the organisation’s future –
20 years of interest and capital
repayments
Also, loan conditions can restrict some
choices
How does SPECTRUM CIL sustain itself?
• Not easy ... Ever
• A good reputation is everything
• A social enterprise – profit is good!
• Many eggs in our basket
• All our projects are ‘full-cost’ costed
• All projects contribute to the core
(infrastructure) costs of the organisation
• All projects costed to be ‘scalable’
• The right source of funding for each
project
SPECTRUM CIL’s Funding Strategy
• Grant funding is not sustainable
• Contract/Tender work for bread and butter work but never allow an organisations survival to
become dependent on one contract
• Majority of Core costs are funded by projects
• Income generation (consultancy) work, getting
bigger each year
• Consultants making millions on the back of
Disabled People – we can do that – better
• Personalisation presents huge opportunities
So, where do we go from here?
• Successful organisations are successful because
they are different
• Peer Support is our most valuable asset – we do
not have non-disabled people in control or in
support roles.
• Disabled People must speak for themselves.
• Must be more business like – what we have is
valuable and unique sell it
• Provide a range of services that generate income
• Be creative about minimising expenditure
• Work to empower Disabled People to develop
their skills
Thank You!
Questions?
http://www.spectrumcil.co.uk/