3.4 Information Resources
You should have access to up-to-date and appropriate reference materials. In addition, your service plan should indicate who is responsible for maintaining and updating information resources within your service plan.
Using information resources that are out of date can be worse than having no information at all.
Good information and advice depends on access to up-to-date and accurate information. Without adequate resources, the quality of the information and advice that can be given will be reduced.
Access to reference materials and other information depends upon the systematic organisation and updating of these resources, together with appropriate training in their use. In larger organisations, an information officer could carry out these duties.
For smaller agencies, it may not be possible to appoint a full-time information officer. However, one person should be given key responsibility for this vital area of work and sufficient time should be given to him/her to maintain this task.
Providing a comprehensive information library for staff and volunteers carries resource implications. Resources can be increased if you make these materials publicly available.
Through your website, you can make information both widely available and accessible. Maintaining and updating this information does, however, come at a cost.
You should consider subscribing to UPDATE, Scotland’s national disability information service. UPDATE provides accurate and relevant disability information to providers throughout Scotland, in fully accessible formats.
Go to the next page: Standard Three - Managing Your Service to Ensure Accessibility
(c) Scottish Accessible Information Forum, 2007
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