The Rowan Organisation is a registered charity, not for profit and user-led organisation which has provided services to disabled and older people for over twenty five years. We are committed to the empowerment of disabled people by supporting them to overcome the barriers, both physical and attitudinal, which prevent them from achieving their objectives, or which limit their choice and prevent them from being in control of their own lives. We do this by providing access to appropriate information, resources and support in order to increase their opportunities for independence and enable them to make informed choices about their future.

Mission Statement

"The Rowan Organisation exists to provide disabled people with access to information and support in order that they can make informed choices and be in control of their lives".

Vision Statement

"A society that is fully inclusive in which the barriers, whether environmental, attitudinal or institutional, that prevent disabled people from having equality of opportunity have been removed."
In providing services we advocate the following Principles:

• Services offered should support disabled people to have increased choices, independence and control of their lives.
• Support provided should be based on and directed by the aims, objectives and needs identified by each disabled person.
• The same range of opportunities and facilities should be available to disabled people as are available to others.
• Disabled people should not be excluded, segregated or discriminated against because of their impairment.

Philosophy

The Rowan Organisation rejects the "Medical" or "Personal Tragedy" models of disability which emphasise the location of the "problem" as lying with the individual and seek to change the person so that they are better able to cope with their situation. Instead we would advocate a "Social Model" of disability which sees the process of disablement arising from the predominant social attitudes that exist and which perpetuate a dependent stereotypical image of disabled people leading to them being under-valued in society. Disabled people are further disadvantaged by the inaccessible environments which are created as a result of the lack of awareness of their needs and which limit their access to opportunities and resources. We use the term "Disabled People" rather than "People with Disabilities" because it is descriptive of this process rather than locating the problem with the person.

The principles on which we operate emphasise our commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity and starts with a clear recognition of the abilities of disabled people and their right to make informed choices about their future. We believe that each individual has the right to set their own aims and objectives and to determine the level of support that is appropriate to enable them to achieve their stated goals. This is reflected throughout the practice of the organisation which would see its role as facilitative rather than prescriptive and is committed to providing genuinely user led services.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement:

The Rowan Organisation recognises that the United Kingdom is socially diverse and believes that no person should suffer oppression or lack of opportunity based on gender, race, colour, beliefs, religion, disability, sexuality, age, class, geographical location, health or employment status.

The Rowan Organisation is committed to developing equal opportunities in all areas of its work and structure, and in particular will take positive action in the areas of employment, services, affiliation, Committees and Working Parties, Contract Compliance, Training and in the Implementation, Monitoring and Reviews of its Equal Opportunity Policy.

The Rowan Organisation has developed an equal opportunities code of practice to assist with implementing this policy statement and will devise strategies for implementing, enforcing and monitoring it.