Bradford Area 1 are fundraising to bring a Smart Hub to Bradford day opportunities and to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities and autism in engaging with their community. 

What is our fundraising challenge? 

This year, on the 28th & 29th September we are embarking on a Challenging 53 mile walk (originally we thought it was only 45miles! woops!) from Saltburn by the Sea to Filey Beach over 2 days, with an aim to raise £10k!!!  One big goal for one big challenge. 

The money raised will be used to turn one of our physical buildings into our very first 'Smart Hub.' 

What is a Smart Hub? 

The Smart Hub will utilise the latest technology and adaptations to support and engage the people with learning disabilities and autism in their day to day activities and engage with their environment. We want our Smart Hub to be the leading example of how technology can be used to support people in the community and not just at home. 

The space will be used to engage people in new technologies to find out what works for them, and also to educate the broader community on how technology can make our communities more inclusive to people with a learning disability. 

Why personalised technology? 

Some people with learning disabilities have been left behind when it comes to using technology. Within, Personalised technology  we use technology and adaptations to assist people to live their lives to the fullest. This could be anything from technology that helps with communication skills, learning, interacting, or even adaptations for a device or every day function. 

How technology helps the people we support? 

Technology helps people with complex needs communicate and interact with the world independently of staff or others speaking on their behalf. 

TALKING TILES : We have been trialling a few talking tiles at hour hubs. These tiles enable a picture and verbal word to be displayed. With the talking tiles, a person with complex needs are able to understand and communicate a choice independently to people around them. This has had so many benefits on their persons confidence and ability to engage with people around them. With time, the talking tiles can only improve a person's communication and practice at make independent choices. 

This is just one example of how we will be able to implement fundraising money for the Smart Hub.