Kerry at the conference

Hi readers, it’s me, Kerry here, talking history of people with a learning disability. Why, because I went to the SHLD conference last Thursday, 10^th July, at the Open University in Milton Keynes.  SHLD stands for the Social History of Learning Disability.

I travelled from Dorchester with my support worker. It was a very hot day, but I was excited to go as I’d never been to a conference like this before.

The theme was “Stories, Memories and Histories.” It was all about people with learning disabilities sharing their life experiences and being heard. I listened to people talk about what life used to be like in long-stay hospitals. Some of the stories were sad, but I’m glad they were shared.

There were speakers with learning disabilities, as well as professionals. I liked that everyone was treated equally, and everyone’s voice mattered. It made me feel included and proud.

I really enjoyed listening to a teacher speak. She told us what it’s like to be in a classroom now, how things are different for children with learning disabilities today. I thought about my own time at school, and how much things have changed. Some things sounded better now, and I remembered the hard times I had at school.

I learned a lot about the past at the conference, and how other things have changed over time. I feel lucky about my life now, even if I still have daily challenges because of my disability. It was also clear that much more change is needed to make life fairer and more equal for people with a learning disability.

Even though I only went for one day, I felt like I was part of something important. Our stories matter. Our history matters. And so do we.

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