Useful Links

Below is a list of organisations and resources that can offer support and advice in a variety of ways you might find helpful. BSL users can get in touch with any of the below using an interpreter through Contact Scotland: www.contactscotland-bsl.org

Advice and Advocacy

Citizens Advice Scotland – Free online publications, a helpline and local advisors at Citizens Advice Bureaux across Scotland.

Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland – Free factsheets on claiming benefits as a student.

Disability Rights UK – Provides support, information, advice and guides.

Enquire – Information and advice on provisions for additional support for learning at school.

Glasgow Centre for Independent Living (GCIL) – Enables independent living through information, support and opportunities.

Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCiL) – Offers support, training to people with disabilities, and can help with all aspects of self-directed support (SDS).

Grapevine information service, provides information on any disability issues including money, benefits, education and employment etc for disabled people living in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) – provides advocacy in Scotland.

Turn2Us – For advice on disability and sickness benefits, carers’ allowances and grants.

Impairment specific services

Autism Network Scotland – Advice of services, information, advice and emotional support for people affected by ASD.

National Autistic Society (NAS) – Provide information, support, services, and campaign.

Deaf Action – Providing support, advice, education and training for people with sensory support needs, including those who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing.

Dyslexia Scotland – Advice and guidance on Dyslexia related issues in Scotland.

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Scotland – Provides support, information, guidance and training to people affected by sight loss.

Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) – Provides a range of mental health, social care, addiction and employment support and services.

Scottish Autism – With adult and child services, they provide information and advice for people with autism.

Disabled People’s Organisations

Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) – Provides support and opportunities for people with disabilities.

Inclusion Scotland – A DPO providing education, training, campaigning and advocacy.

Disability Equality Scotland

Legal

Scottish Just Law Centre

Just Right Scotland – legal factsheets on the Equality Act 

Equality Advisory & Support Service

Legal Services Agency

Law Society Scotland – search for a solicitor

Scottish Legal Aid

Govan Law Centre (GLC) – Legal advice and representation for cases related to additional support for learning at school in Scotland

Learning

Hot Courses – Allows you to search for non-degree courses including adult learning.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) – MOOCs are short courses that can be done online in your own home or at work.

The Mental Health Foundation guide to applying to University – To help reduce stress during the application process.

National Union of Students Scotland (NUS) – Providing advice on the rights of a student.

Skills Development Scotland –  Provides advice about learning and training opportunities, careers advice and employment.

Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) – Provides funding, and advice about any aspect of funding in higher education, including the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)s.

The Open University (Scotland) – The UK’s largest distant learning course provider.

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) – Providers of an online system to apply to University.

University Compare – Provides a way to compare Universities in the UK