The Yard is an inclusive organisation and none of our members or potential members should miss the chance to come and play due to financial difficulty. With that in mind, we have created a membership assistance package aimed at people who find it difficult to pay for our services.

You can read our membership assistance policy here.

If you need our help with membership fees, the first thing to do is reach out to us. You can speak to a member of our team, call us on 0131 476 4506 during office hours or email us. We then arrange an informal chat with you to see how we can help. Once we know a little more about your circumstances, we let our management team know, and they take time to assess your situation and work out the best way forward.

We have limited funds to offer immediate help to those most in need. This budget is be assessed annually and assistance offered on a first come, first served basis.

We have also built relationships with existing organisations whose aims are to help disabled people access the services they need by providing advice on things like funding. Below are links to their websites and to key documents explaining more about their work.

Self Directed Support Scotland (SDSS)

SDSS champions local independent support organisations that provide quality advice and support on Self-directed Support. They campaign for true SDS implementation when it comes to social care delivery throughout Scotland.

 SDSS General Leaflet

Your Support Your Choice_-_SDSS

SDS Factsheet

Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCIL)

LCIL is a user controlled organisation, which supports disabled people, people with long-term conditions and older people to live independently in their communities.

 Independent Living Team

Grapevine Leaflet

Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project (MECOPP)

MECOPP is an Edinburgh based charity that helps ethnic minority carers to access support including SDS.

MECOPP SDS Legal Rights Project

Independent Living Fund (ILF)

Are you aged 16-21 and living with a disability in Scotland? You could be eligible for up to £7,500 in funding, for one year, from the Transition Fund. ILF can support you to try new activities and experiences that will enhance your independence and confidence, and help you spend more time with other people.

Dundee Carers Centre

Dundee Carers Centre works independently from the local authority to provide support to people in Dundee and Angus. 

 Your Support Your Choice - SDSS

SDS Options Fife

SDS Options Fife helps you understand and explore your options and choose your own outcomes, and supports you to make your own decisions about Self-directed Support (SDS). They also share stories from people who are now in receipt of SDS - their experiences, their journey and how it has changed their life.

 Your Support Your Choice - SDSS

VOCAL

VOCAL provides support for unpaid carers in Edinburgh and Midlothian, to enable carer identification and access to support and services in the community. VOCAL can support carers to manage their caring role, manage money, including SDS, and maintain their own wellbeing.

 Managing your money