The “European Centre for Smart Media and eInclusion” is a specialist arm of AIDC (UK) Ltd.  The Centre is specifically designed to serve as an independent resource for organisations seeking to introduce the benefits of innovation and technology to all citizens.

Associates of the Centre are nationally recognised experts in training and upskilling people with special needs in the use of new technologies, including:
 People with physical disabilities
 People with cognitive difficulties
 People with complex and multiple impairments
 People who need more time to transact

Since 2000, AIDC Associates have worked with disabled people and the organizations that represent them to remove the barriers to participation and develop strategies to increase participation in decisions that impact their lives. Most of our work is triggered when there is a clear imperative for a person to access a service our use a product. Often this is because that service or product is vitally important for their wellbeing, necessary to protect their rights, or is a powerful agent of social inclusion.

Our philosophy is very much centred on working in close partnership with disabled people to develop solutions and approaches that benefit society at a whole. We believe that working alongside disabled people in a collaborative context is the best way to promote positive social change in areas as diverse as democratic participation, medical decision-making, service delivery design, rights and campaigning. Increasingly we are being asked to look at how the disabled community and technology solution provides can better interact with each other to promote inclusion within the public and private sectors.

The Centre is currently located in the state-of-the-art Digital Media Centre, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and boasts a multi-media workshop and training facility. In addition to training, the location provides an excellent venue for pan-European study tours and project meetings.

Our Associates are experts in establishing and maintaining national programmes to motivate disabled people to participate in national campaigns. They are currently supporting the disability charity Scope in an on-line project to audit all UK polling stations (www.pollsapart.org.uk). As part of this we are developing a national network of activists.

Our Associates have developed programmes for disabled people to contribute user generated content in exciting web environments such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They are in the process of delivering a lottery-funded peer-lead training the trainer’s project for learning-disabled people to contribute content in the run up to the UK general election.

Our Associates have developed open source training packages to be used and adapted by trainers working with disabled people and those people that work with or support them. They were responsible for the Disability Rights Commissions ‘Right to Vote’ which has been adapted and developed throughout the UK as a model of good practice.  Our Associates set up the first user lead accessible information procurement structure for the Commission for Social Care Inspection which was designed to create an environment where social entrepreneurship could flourish.  Our Associates also advise UK government agencies on how disabled people can be encouraged to participate in on-line ecosystems. A recent example was quality assuring the Children’s Workforce Development Commission on the accessibility of their on-line surveys. We have identified national standards for the creation of Easy-read for the Department of Health and co authored Office of Disability Issue guidelines on engaging with disabled people both on and off-line.

For more information please complete the contact form.