The document outlines a presentation given by the Learning Disability Alliance to the National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities. The LDA is a campaign formed by several advocacy organizations to give people with learning disabilities a stronger collective voice. It aims to address issues like rights, benefits, employment, housing, and inclusion. The LDA wants the National Forum to join and help ensure decisions reflect the perspectives of people with disabilities. Key goals are building a large alliance, promoting their vision, influencing political parties, and encouraging voting in the 2015 election. The National Forum decides to support and work with the LDA.

1. Creating a
Learning Disability
Alliance
!
Presentation from the Learning Disability Alliance to
National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities

2. 1. Government is not listening to
people with learning disabilities

3. 2. Things are getting worse
Shame
Poverty
Cuts
Deaths
Abuse
Hate
Homeless
Control
Exclusion

4. 3. We will be a powerful force
if we come together

5. For these reasons some
organisations came together to
start…

6. The first 4 organisations were…
…many others are keen to join

7. The National Forum is the most
important organisation for people with
learning disabilities in England
We would love the National Forum to
join the Learning Disability Alliance.

8. Here are just some of the things
where there are BIG problems
1. Rights & Freedoms
2. Tax & Benefits
3. Self-Advocacy
4. Jobs
5. Community Life
6. Homes vs. Institutions
7. Schools
8. NHS
9. Police & Prisons
10.Social Services
Here are just a few examples…

9. Self-advocacy is under threat:
unfunded, closed, cut, merged…
People First Lambeth
Voice 4 Kent
Swindon People First
York People First Liverpool People First
People First Cumbria
Bath People First
Bristol People First
Dorset People First
Barnsley People First
People First Birmingham
People First Merseyside

10. People face growing poverty

11. Benefit cuts are harming people

12. Cuts target disabled people

13. People are not finding work

14. Many people without homes

15. People stuck in institutions

17. It’ not going to be easy,
but we can do it…

18. 1. We can come together
2. We can put people first
3. We can be heard
4. We are more powerful
than we think

19. Many people are passionate
about people’s rights
People with
learning disabilities
Families
and friends
Professionals
and other
citizens

20. We can protect the voice of people
with learning disabilities - by making
sure they can’t be out-voted
VETO
VETO means things must be backed by
people with learning disabilities

21. “I hope that one day
everyone - whether or not
they have a learning
disability - will have freedom.
We should not have to keep
fighting for our freedom.”
Simon Cramp
There are lots of people
with learning disabilities
out there with powerful
things to say…

22. Together people with learning
disabilities, their families and allies
make up a big part of the vote

23. So what’s our plan
?

24. 1. Build the strongest
alliance we can
2. Describe our vision for a
better future
3. Check how political
parties measure up
4. Encourage people to
vote on 7th May 2015

25. What are your questions
?

26. Q. What is the LDA?
It’s a campaign. It’s not a service. It’s not
there to provide advocacy or support.
It exists to encourage people to use their
vote wisely.

27. Q. How will decisions get made?
We will use democracy to vote on the
vision and organisation.
How we do this depends on how many
people and organisations join.
We will be working this out in the
coming weeks.

28. Q. How is the LDA funded?
The LDA is mostly run by voluntary effort,
but some of its members have made
donations.
Donations would be very welcome, but
we are working to be as efficient as
possible.
At the moment membership of the
campaign is FREE.

29. Q. How will the voice of people with
learning disabilities be protected?
Whoever joins we will make sure that
people with learning disabilities can’t be
out-voted.
There are several ways to do this.
For example we could give the National
Forum a VETO vote.

30. Our Decision

31. Decision of the National Forum, 9th September 2014:
We support the Learning Disability Alliance.
We will go back to our regional forums to tell them
about it and confirm our support for the Alliance.
We will work with the Learning Disability Alliance to
make sure the voice of people with learning
disabilities is as strong as possible.
We authorise the co-Chairs, Karen Flood & Craig Hart
(via Sue Reed) to work with Simon Duffy of the LDA
to work out how to make sure the National Forum and
the LDA work together.