David Harwood

More about the Spot On Web site

How this Directory was made

The South Gloucestershire Learning Difficulties Partnership Board wanted to make a Directory of Services.

The Directory would be especially for people with learning difficulties and their carers.

In 2003 The Care Forum was asked to do this.

David Harwood was made Editor of the Directory.

It was his job to put the Directory together.

The service user group

A group of eleven people with learning difficulties was set up to help David Harwood.

The group told David Harwood what service users wanted to be put in the Directory

The group told David Harwood how the information could be made as accessible as possible

The service users met as a group on many occasions.

The Editorial Board

The DirectoryÍs Editorial Board had many different people:

• service users
• local health and The Community Care and Housing Department staff
• service providers
• business people
• voluntary organisation representatives
• carers

Open Events

In July 2003 two open events were held.
People with learning difficulties shared their ideas.

They said what should be put in it to the Directory and how the information could be shown.

Making the Directory accessible

At first we thought the directory would be a book.

However the service users told us that a Web site/CD would be better for them.

We changed the project so this could happen.

The Directory is available as a web site.

Nick Tarleton

Creative Communications designed the template for the Web site.

Nick Tarleton of Lifewing Creative built the site and looks after the technical side of the site.

Nick and Beth Tarleton make sure it is easy to read for people with learning difficulties.

David Harwood is the Editor and makes sure that the site is kept accurate and up-to-date.

The Editorial Board meets 2 times a year.

We won an Award!

Spot On won a major regional communications award in November 2004.

The Awards for Communications Excellence (ACE) are organised by Communicators in Business South West Region.

Entries were invited from anyone involved in communication for businesses, the public sector and voluntary organisations.

Spot On was entered in the Best Web Delivered Communication category.

The other four finalists for the Award were Words Publishing, Instant Rapport for Peugeot, The Biz for Camelot, and Wardour Communications for Norwich Union.

The Awards were announced at @Bristol on the Harbourside in Bristol on 25th November 2004.