Disability

Disability is defined by the World Health Organisation as “A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these. Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.” The voluntary and community sector has made significant contributions to disability, often reaching areas and communities that have been difficult to reach by mainstream providers. This page brings together information and resources about disability and the VCS.