Hi readers, Emily, Kerry and William here today, meeting online again with the fabulous Harry Roche from Mencap. Harry is just back from the EAMHID (European Association of Mental Health and Intellectual Disability) conference in Finland, along with UCL and Laura (who helps us edit this column).
So, Harry, you gave a talk? “Well yes, I talked about STORM (more on that another time) and also presented on the ‘Empower Us’ programme at Inclusion International.”
Sounds interesting! Who are Inclusion International, Harry? “Good question. They are a global organisation, working to create a world where people with intellectual disabilities (or ID, which is used internationally, instead of learning disability), can take part and be valued equally, in all areas of their lives.
Empower Us is one of their programmes, where I worked for a year, helping self-advocacy leadership to grow around the world.”
Wow, this sounds important. Tell us more? “Yes, it’s very important! If we want the world to be truly inclusive, it’s important that people with ID can be strong self-advocates, able to confidently advocate for what they want and need.
To do that, our aim is educate people with ID, to learn about their human rights, so they can know if they are being met, or not. Without this knowledge, none of us can speak up for ourselves. Learning about rights and speaking up, can be really difficult for someone with ID, so it’s even more important the world knows and helps people with ID develop essential self-advocacy skills. I loved working with self-advocate leaders from around the world to do this!”
We agree! No more room, so next week we share with Harry how we do exactly that at People First Dorset. And a bit more on global advocacy!
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
Helskini (2)
Hi readers, Emily, Kerry and William here today, meeting online again with the fabulous Harry Roche from Mencap. Harry has been talking with us over the last three weeks about the EAMHID (European Association of Mental Health and Intellectual Disability) conference he recently went to in Finland.
Last week we heard about Harry’s work at Inclusion International and their vision. We told Harry it’s exactly what we do at People First Dorset. This week we share how we do it!
We start with Friendship Club, where around 300 people with ID (learning disabilities) across Dorset regularly come together (not at the same time, but in each of our local communities!) and in places of our choice (cafes, museums, pubs, parks etc) to make and sustain friendships, reduce our social isolation, and become more independent. For us, these are the foundations of inclusion.
Next, we run 13 monthly Speaking Up groups, where we learn about our rights and develop skills to speak up for ourselves. It’s important for us to meet often as most of us, because of our ID, find it difficult to learn new things, so we need lots of time and practice.
We now have 3 amazing Action Groups, where we make change happen. Here, we actually do something about our concerns! So, this might be meeting with the local council or businesses to talk about access problems, emailing a housing provider about unfair rules, or writing to a bus company about getting easy read bus timetables.
Do you like what we do Harry? “Yes, it sounds really great! I’m definitely coming to Dorset and meet you all!”.
We’re out of room so next week we finish with Harry sharing with us about global advocacy.
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
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