Learning Disability England: charity to be led by people with learning disabilities
Charity Learning Disability England has elected a new representative body of people with learning disabilities.
The charity says the move will help it maintain the member-led ethos it has had since it was founded in June last year.
Strategic decisions
A total of four people have been chosen to fill posts in three membership categories: people with learning disabilities; families and friends; and organisations and professionals.
All members of Learning Disability England were eligible to vote, with 200 votes cast.
The newly elected body will make important strategic decisions about the organisation and will be responsible for appointing the trustee board.
Its ethos is:
- Work together – with people with learning disabilities, families, professionals, organisations and the government to achieve better lives for people with learning disabilities.
- Put people with learning disabilities first – in everything we do and how we are run.
- Be challenging – when it comes to what people with learning disabilities and families want, need and have a right to.
- Be empowering – by making sure our members have power and can act on behalf of Learning Disability England with confidence and clarity.
- Be creative and try new things – by thinking differently about how we can solve problems and not being afraid to get it wrong sometimes.
‘Nothing about us without us’
Appointees will be in post for the next three years, after which a new set of representatives will be elected.
Learning Disability England co-founder Gary Bourlet said: ‘It’s about time that learning disability organisations were led by people with learning disabilities and families, rather than just professionals. Nothing about us without us.’
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