The Centre of Excellence for Sensory Impairment (COESI) is a new national charity and social enterprise which supports people with sensory, physical, psychological, emotional and/or neurological needs, including those who are mentally ill or who have a learning disability.

The Centre of Excellence links together local voluntary and statutory organisations providing sensory services to improve the customer pathway and is working towards providing some joint services for people with Sensory Impairments on a single site (or sites) in Croydon and other local authority areas.

This link takes you to the COESI website - launched May 10th 2011.

The COESI Consortium (this link takes you to information about the Member Organsiations) The COESI Consortium group works with all local provider organisations in the voluntary, third and statutory sectors in Croydon and surrounding areas, to improve the customer pathway to services for people with sensory impairment.

There are now six organisations (5 local charities and GFI, a national social enterprise) forming the Consortium which are:

• Croydon Hearing Resource Centre (CHRC)
• Croydon Vision
• Croydon Deaf Children’s Society (CDCS)
• Croydon Disability Forum (CDF)
• Disability Croydon - which joined in February 2013
• Going For Independence CIC (GFI)

 

The Centre of Excellence for Sensory Impairment is an organisation in its own right, incorporated in September 2011, able to offer a range of services in the South London area and wider afield.

COESI Charter
The Charter is a statement of the standards of customer service the member organisations of the COESI Consortium aim to provide individually and collectively through the Centre of Excellence:- 

We will:

• aim to provide co-ordinated, seamless and holistic services
• improve the customer pathway
• provide focal points for joined up information and advice
• help facilitate people’s rapid access to support services from all appropriate agencies
• improve access to advice and support for individuals, families and carers
• provide support and information,  practical, psychological and emotional, to help people to  live independently
• provide high quality services from each of the participating organisations
• aim to develop greater partnership working between all relevant organisations
• increase disability awareness in the local community for all impairments
• provide some of the services jointly
• ensure equality and freedom from discrimination, providing support whatever the individual circumstances and whichever language is spoken
• ensure that all people are treated with dignity and respect
• adopt and promote the Croydon Strategy Partnership ‘Achieving Access For All’ guidance
• set an example for joint working wherever possible

Page updated January 2015