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Conference report

Route to finding a sense of place they are involved in their community
and how they exercise their rights.
● Speakers from L’Arche communities
describing how people with and
Feeling connected to others within a community and action to without learning disabilities supported
create an inclusive society were key themes of the Learning each other by living together and
sharing life experiences.
Disability England conference. Sue Pemberton was there ● KeyRing Living Support Networks talked
about connection within communities
through breaking down barriers and
t seems a long time and almost another through being part of a community, which celebrating skills and talents
world since the Learning Disability enables individuals to reach those goals. ● The Thera Trust group spoke on
IEngland conference took place on a Isabelle Garnett talked about the employing people with learning
sunny February morning in Manchester. #Human Too and Homes Not Hospitals disabilities in management roles.
The theme was “Including everyone – campaigns. We heard about how many A lot of good organisations and groups
what next? How do we build on what is people with learning disabilities are being are out there doing pioneering work to
working now?” denied the opportunities we all seek, achieve belonging, but challenges remain.
There was a positive buzz at the event. and are being held in hospitals and A group of self-advocates closed the day
The line-up was excellent and many parts assessment and treatment units with no with this resounding message: “We want
of the learning disability community were sign of being discharged. what everyone wants – a home, fun, a sense
represented, including self-advocates, These people are denied a life in the of belonging and a sense of who we are.
providers and local authority community, the complete opposite of “We are all in this together and we want
representatives. There were notable what everyone says they want. to be equals. We must be seen as part of
speakers and a variety of workshops the solution – we are not the problem.
where people could share viewpoints and Talking points: justice to service design “We just need some help along the way
discuss issues for campaigns. Highlights of the discussions included: to achieve some of it, to be part of our
Ideas were pooled on maximising health, ● How “civil society” based on justice and community, for people to listen to us, to
both physical and mental, as well as on solidarity needs people with learning believe in us. We are on the road, there is
developing a stronger voice in campaigning disabilities to be in the room a long way to go, but we know we can
for change. Innovative practice from ● Services need to be designed by those do it.” n
around the country was shared. who will use them – Hammersmith and
The main themes – “belonging”, Fulham Council employs a co-production ● Learning Disability England and the
“community “, “connecting”, commissioner for example conference: https://tinyurl.com/yb6mec5r
“achievement” and “place” – all raised ● A discussion about innovative software ● Reach standards: https://tinyurl.com/
strong feelings. These can each be that helps people to control their y9pjp7ay
achieved in many ways. personal plans, goals and aspirations
Place matters and, while this is different ● How the Reach standards can help Sue Pemberton is chief executive officer of
for each person, belonging is achieved people decide who they live with, how Integrate https://integratepreston.org.uk´

This is important for commissioners, Buchanan I, Walmsley J. 2006 Self Advocacy in
service providers and families to Historical Perspective. British Journal of Key points
acknowledge especially as services recede Learning Disabilities; 34(3):133-138
and the progress of inclusion is slow Caldwell J (2010) Leadership development of ● Self-advocacy can improve wellbeing
(Power et al, 2016; 2018). individuals with developmental disabilities in ● Self-advocacy groups can provide an
the self-advocacy movement. Journal of
More studies are needed to better Intellectual Disability Research; 54: 1004-1014 environment and context to build
understand self-advocacy and its effects Caldwell J (2011) Disability identity of leaders meaning and learn about others’
(especially from diverse perspectives) in the self-advocacy movement. Intellectual lives, and boost resilience
and about the impacts of different and Developmental Disabilities; 49(5): 315-326 ● They can be a strong way to connect
self-advocacy models. n OECD. How’s Life? Measuring Well-Being. 2013. people, which some with learning
Power A, Bartlett R, Hall E (2016) Peer difficulties find transformational
Liz Tilley and Jan Walmsley are at the advocacy in a personalized landscape: the role ● Groups may not be accessible to
Open University; Iva Strnadová and of peer support in a context of individualized people with substantial needs
Joanne Danker at the University of New support and austerity. Journal of Intellectual ● In groups, people can try out new
South Wales; Julie Loblinzk is at the Disabilities; 20(2): 183-193 roles or ways of being, and support
University of New South Wales and also a Power A, Bartlett R. 2018. “I shouldn’t be living individual change as well as social
there because I am a sponger”: negotiating
self-advocate at Self Advocacy Sydney and collective activism
everyday geographies by people with learning
disabilities. Disability & Society; 33(4): 562-578. ● Self-advocacy organisations, statutory
References Tilley E (2013) Management, leadership and authorities, commissioners and other
Anderson S, Bigby B (2017) Self-advocacy as a user control in self-advocacy: an English case funding bodies need to be aware
means to positive identities for people with study. Intellectual and Developmental of the benefits of self-advocacy on
intellectual disability: “We just help them, be Disabilities; 51(6): 470–481. people’s wellbeing reported in
them really”. Journal of Applied Research in Walmsley J (2020) From ‘nice to have’ to life the literature
Intellectual Disabilities; 30: 109-120. saver. Community Living 33:2 2020: 23

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