The establishment of a provincial information and referral service for physically disabled people

McDonald, Rosemary Christine (1980) The establishment of a provincial information and referral service for physically disabled people. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (35MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to describe the initiation of an information and referral service (I&RS) for physically disabled people in Newfoundland and Labrador. The service focused on providing links between the client in need of information or a service with resources to meet that need. The necessity for such an I&RS was documented by theses, national studies, and a provincial survey. -- The service was initiated in two phases as follows: Phase I, covering eleven steps from the decision to establish the I&RS through assessment of service requirements, decisions on storage, retrieval, funding, personnel and forms, to the collection, processing and updating of the information; Phase II, covering three steps from this establishment of client contacts, announcement of the I&RS and finally, the design of a public relations program. -- The review of the literature presented: an historical perspective of I&RS's; a Canadian perspective of I&RS's; a Newfoundland and Labrador perspective of I&RS’s; and a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of four distinct types of I&RS's. The appendices contained: support documentation; lists of services, foundations, resource contacts, media contacts; a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of ten classification systems; instruction manuals for McBee system; grant application forms and letters; job descriptions; a floor plan; copies of all forms, letters, questionnaires, press releases; and a sample card. -- Three general recommendations were made: (1) that the I&RS advocate the provision of services to fill identified gaps; (2) that permanent funding be obtained for the I&RS; and (3) that two additional information services be established. -- A number of more specific recommendations were also detailed.

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