Hi readers, it’s Emily, Kerry and William here, writing more about our photo shoot on Weymouth beach.
Why a photo shoot? To understand it properly, there’s a bit share. Here goes!
As some of you know, we’re supported by People First Dorset (PFD), a local charity to write this column. PFD empowers us, people with a learning disability, to reduce our social isolation, be part of our community and to speak up for ourselves. PFD makes a huge difference to many of our lives, like improving our happiness, confidence, skills, and health/wellbeing.
People with a learning disability, its members, are involved in every aspect of PFD’s work. I, Kerry, work as a part-time Project Worker. We, Emily and William, are on the Management Committee, helping govern.
With a small, friendly team supported by fab volunteers, PFD enables around 400 members each year to take part projects that we, members, choose and help facilitate.
First, our Friendship Club runs @150 fun events annually, offering opportunities to make and sustain friendships in community places of our choice – think pubs, cafes, or parks in summer. It’s where we met!
Next, in our 13 Speaking Up groups across Dorset, we learn about our rights and to speak up for ourselves. This can mean very different things for each person. For example, for one member it could be developing their confidence to order a coffee in a cafe; for another it may be learning how to approach their housing provider to have their broken bedroom window fixed, as they were worried about making a fuss; or a member is stressed or withdrawn because they’ve got into financial difficulties as their online ‘girl or boyfriend’ keeps asking them for money, and they want help.
There’s much more so tune in to read more next week!
The writers of the Our View column are supported in their editing by People First Dorset - a charity led and run by people with learning disabilities with support from staff