An Inverness charity, Elsie Normington Foundation (ENF), is leading a bold project to enhance the disability services available to children and their families in the Highlands. To achieve its objectives, the foundation has set up the Haven Consortium, which unites five prominent charities active in disability care and support services.
Participating charities are Special Needs Action Project (SNAP), Thriving Families, Connecting Carers, and Encompass Caithness. Through pooling resources and skills, these organizations hope to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their services to the people who need them the most.
Meeting the need for disability services
The Haven Consortium is now building upon the Haven Center, which opened in Smithton in June 2023 and serves as a multi-purpose facility for children and young people with complex needs. ENF took the lead in fundraising for the center, and through this new initiative, the foundation seeks to regionalize its impact through various centers across the region.
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Elsie Normington, who chairs the group, noted that with this collaborative approach, charities will be able to focus more towards funding and less on the servicing of disability, creating real change for the disabled. The aim is to create a functioning network to better the assistance for disabled youth and their families and caregivers.
One-stop support for families
As stated by Kirstin Mackay, Service Manager at the ENF, a family with the Haven Consortium will have a more “joined-up” approach to disability services. Instead of having to interact with various organizations separately, families now have the option of getting all services under one roof.
This new initiative is a significant milestone towards enhancing the efficiency, accessibility, and family-centered nature of disability services in the Highlands. Through collaboration, these charities aim to offer enhanced support that will make a difference in your lives.