"I am Ellen, I work at Mencap. I’m proudly married and live in London.
I love doing lots of different things. I love my home but I also love going out with friends, family and husband. I go out on a girls night once a month, dancing and drinking wine. I also love football and support West Ham and sometimes England! I talk lots.
I am excited for "Do You See Me?" because it is inclusive for everyone.
I want other people with learning disabilities to have their voices heard and for people to see them as people."
[The campaign] feels all about us and it really feels like we have added in all our ideas to this campaign. It feels like everyone has taken part in this campaign to share something happy and about being seen.
To be recognised so that people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
are part of society. People see us inside and outside the
community
A community is the people and places in an area.
. The campaign is open and honest and being aware of people with disabilities and making sure they are seen as a person.
"Do You See Me?" is about a group of people coming together to talk about disabilities, to share with the world that we are - people - not just people with learning disabilities.
We want to be seen as people with amazing abilities like everyone else . We are not a label."
"Do you see me?" is important for everybody, for people with learning disabilities and people without disabilities. It is important to share what people with learning disabilities can do. It is so important for people with learning disabilities to be seen and heard as people with their own
rights
Rights are the things everyone should be allowed to do like have a say, or go to school.
, passions and hobbies.
The advisory group was a campaign group. We helped make sure the campaign was
accessible
Accessible means something is easy for people to use or join in with. For example: Accessible writing means the writing is easy to read and understand.
for other people to be heard. We had different people from Mencap
involved
Involved is being included in something or taking part in something.
in the campaigns group and they would visit us and we would advise them on how their work on the campaign was accessible. We would suggest changes on the campaign so it was led by people with learning disabilities.
My role on the advisory group was a performer in the poem which I absolutely loved. I think it was really powerful when I stamped my foot and spoke about ‘knowing how I feel’. I also went out filming and we spent time looking at my life in London. We filmed my experiences through my eyes, crossing roads in London and visiting shops. I want people to know what it is like to be me and for people to see me as who I am."
Thanks Ellen