The Association of People with Disability

The Association of People with Disability (APD) is a Bengaluru-based organisation that has worked since 1959 to advance the rights, participation and independence of people with disabilities. It works with people with disabilities, their families, communities and institutions to make participation possible at every stage of life. APD calls its method a "Life Cycle Approach." Its support starts with early intervention in childhood and continues through education, rehabilitation, assistive technology and livelihood. The organisation says this work adds to existing government schemes for people with disabilities by building social awareness and better public infrastructure.

Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Major Areas of Work

• Early intervention and inclusive education: Support for young children with disabilities and for their inclusion in mainstream education.

• Health and rehabilitation: Spinal cord injury rehabilitation, multidisciplinary rehabilitation and community mental health services.

• Assistive and adaptive technology: Providing assistive devices and adaptive technology that help people with disabilities live and work more independently.

• Livelihood: Employment and livelihood support so that people with disabilities can earn an income.

• Policy, advocacy and accessibility: Working with government on policy, building public awareness and pushing for barrier-free public spaces.

Major Initiatives and Programmes

• Yes To Access: An initiative that uses awareness and practical measures to make public spaces inclusive and barrier-free for people with disabilities.

• Rehabilitation on Wheels (ROW): A mobile rehabilitation service that is part of APD's health and rehabilitation work.

• Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation services for people living with spinal cord injuries.

• Community Mental Health: Mental health support provided within communities.

• Institute of Disability Rehabilitation and Research: APD's institute for disability rehabilitation and research.

• Horticulture: A horticulture programme for people with disabilities.

Impact

APD states it has served more than 10,00,000 individuals with disabilities through work in healthcare, education, employment and advocacy. It also says it has made over 20,00,000 people aware of disability issues.

APD suits people who want to work directly with people with disabilities and their families at every stage of life, from early childhood to employment. Its work covers therapy and rehabilitation, inclusive education, assistive technology, mental health, livelihood and policy, so staff see both direct services and advocacy work. The organisation has a long history and teams from many disciplines. This makes it a good fit for therapists, rehabilitation professionals, educators and social workers, and for anyone interested in disability rights and accessibility.