About Glasgow Access Panel

Glasgow Access Panel is a membership organisation. Joining is free and open to all disabled people, and to organisations representing disabled people.

The Social Model of Disability

Central to the work of the Glasgow Access Panel (GAP) is the Social Model of Disability, which illustrates the ways in which it is not individual impairments which disable people, but rather society’s failure to include and provide accessible facilities for all.GAP recognise the barriers to independent living faced by many people today, and consider the elimination of these barriers an important collective responsibility. Where in the past the medical model of disability focused on the ‘treatment’ of individuals and impairments, the social model highlights the ways in which society gives insufficient consideration to people with impairments – failing to accommodate a significant portion of the population as a consequence. It is therefore society which must change, and it is for this reason that GAP exists: offering our experience and expertise as disabled people in the early stages of planned projects, consulting on changes in traffic management and providing information and assistance to members of the public facing access issues.

Our organisation

Glasgow Access Panel is a registered Scottish charity (Charity No. SCO36531) and company (No. SC283700) controlled by a governing document, our Memorandum and Articles of Association. Our management board meets regularly and have responsibility for all strategic decisions of the charity. Find out more about our current board.

As we are a small team of volunteers and staff, it is not advisable to turn up at the office without contacting us first. So if you’re thinking of stopping by, you can give us a call at 0141 946 8488 or send us an email. We are delighted to help with any information regarding disability rights, and to give advice on addressing specific access issues affecting individuals or organisations.

Funding

Glasgow Access Panel are delighted to receive funding from The Robertson Trust, Disability Equality Scotland, and The National Lottery Community Fund. We would also like to thank the Weir Charitable Trust, James Weir Foundation, the Cruden Foundation and the Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust for supporting our charity over the past year.

Unit 17,
Chapel Street Estate,
Maryhill,
G20 9BQ
0141 946 8488