Clients
Want to know who ADA inc works for?
ADA inc has formed relationships with a number of clients who have been working with Jo for many years. There isn't space to list them all, but the main ones are shown below to give you an idea of the kinds of work ADA inc delivers and the range of organisations that ADA inc works with.
Scottish Arts Council
Jo is the key equalities trainer for the Scottish Arts Council and supported the organisation to create its first Disability Equality Scheme (DES) in 2006. Since then she has been monitoring the DES delivery, has written (and then updated) Getting There, a publication to aid best practice (see authoring for link), has researched dance and disability and Scotland resulting in a new strategic focus on this area of work for the country, and also impact assessed a number of their key function areas. She is currently piloting an approach with the Scottish Book Trust on creating an equality scheme, and also developing an involvement event for disabled musicians.
Learning and Skills Council
In 2000, Jo researched into the opportunities available for disabled performers to gain high level vocational training in dance, drama and stage management. This led to the creation of a range of promotional programmes within providers such as Graeae, Mind the Gap and Cando Co. ADA inc also provided Disability Equality Training for all the schools within the Dance and Drama Awards scheme (DADA) and authored a publication (see authoring section for link).
In 2007, Jo developed a series of self assessment measures - the EDIMs (Equality and Diversity Impact Measures) to enable schools to measure their own progress in this area, and she currently visits schools on an annual programme to support this work and to aid the evaluation of widening participation programmes on behalf of the LSC.
Shape
Jo is one of Shape's Trainers for the Open the Door programme, specialising in training focusing on running accessible events in addition to general disability equality training. Jo is also currently impact assessing the Link Up programme for Shape and in the past has created two online resources for them - the artists resource pack and the creative lives inspiration site - see Authoring for links.
Arts Council England
For four years, ADA inc ran the 'GAP' programme supporting regularly funded organisations in the south east to develop disability and diversity action plans, funded by Arts Council England, South East (www.getaplan.org.uk ). Jo has also undertaken research into involvement strategies and approaches for Arts Council England, Yorkshire and elements of specialist training and research for other Arts Council regions.
Cultural Leadership Programme
Alongside Sarah Pickthall (Cusp inc) and Mark Wright (People Create), Jo is responsible for Sync, an initiative looking at the interplay between disability and leadership, funded by the Cultural Leadership Programme. This fascinating project has drawn together over 100 disabled people working in the arts and cultural sector to explore the issues involved. The front facing part of the programme can be see at www.syncleadership.com but this is the tip of the ice berg!