Information management for the disabled

Organisations are realising the need to reinvent themselves and professionals among them have already started investing in information management.

Knowledge is today increasingly recognised as a key resource for development and the world over the voluntary sector is moving towards greater generation, sharing and application of knowledge (a process that is collectively termed knowledge management).

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Even in the disability sector, the voluntary organisations are realising the need to reinvent themselves and the professionals among them have already started investing in information management. A professional approach to information management is important not only for reaching out to stakeholders but also help in advocacy.

To constantly and creatively generate, share and apply knowledge in their field, the voluntary organisations need to develop efficient information management systems involving information and communication technologies.

Samatvam undertook a study on information systems in organisations working in the disability sector in partnership with team IYV, United Nations Volunteers. The aim of the study was not only to gauge how organisations working in the disability sector receive, process and disseminate information but also to get a perspective on the various needs of an organisation for evolving an efficient information sharing mechanism and communication strategy.

A questionnaire was sent to about 120 organisations working in the field of disability in different parts of the country and we received 46 responses which in itself suggests that while on one hand, there is a new thinking in terms of realising the importance of information management, we still have a long way to go.