Who should be helping access to happen? Part 1

Advocates

• We need to build community recognition of advocacy, so that we can move advocacy outside of the disabled world.


• Advocates are the best people who can help others with learning disabilities.

Trained support

• In education the key is access to creative, reflective teachers with a positive, problem-solving attitude. Their own access to specialist knowledge and support is important too.


• Having a skilled or qualified support staff won’t make things better if they are not taught how to take chances and try new things.

Champions of the cause

• People with learning disabilities need ‘champions’ working for their rights.


• It takes a “special effort” for people with learning disabilities to sort out their access issues. It also takes a special effort for professionals to “champion the cause”. Those who do, usually have first hand experience of living or working with people with learning disabilities.


• We need to support people with learning disabilities to become “champions” themselves if they want to be: speaking up for themselves and others.