"I am a woman 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.
. I am mostly independent, I do have some support, when I need it. When people talk to me, I don’t like to be spoken to differently- just treat me like anyone else! Like any other adult in the UK, or the whole world!
Most of the time, people do speak to me as if I understand what they are saying, and that makes me really happy, because usually, I do! If I don’t, I just ask, and people are fine with that. It's great when people are open and don’t make a big deal about it.
There are a couple of things that do get on my nerves. One is when I’m out with my
support worker
Support workers
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
, and someone talks to her instead of me. It’s like they’re ignoring me, and it is frustrating. When that happens, I speak up politely, because I don’t think they always realise what they are doing. I think sometimes people just don’t know how to react when they meet someone with a learning disability, and they panic a bit.
Another thing I really don’t like is when people are rude to me when I’ve done nothing wrong, I think people sometimes think I don’t have feelings. It annoys me. If someone’s rude, I will pull them up on it – nicely, of course! I’m not shy about standing up for myself, no one should have to deal with rude people. People, including myself, need to treat people how they like to be treated themselves.
Nobody is perfect, with or without a disability, and having someone communicate badly just makes things harder for some people with a learning disability. I get that people might not know how to talk to someone with a learning disability, but that is why we need more understanding and awareness.
When people communicate well with me, it makes me feel reassured. When they don’t, it leaves a nasty memory. I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with communication in the past, especially at school, but that says more about the people who treated me that way than it does about me.
At work, I’m always asking questions, and my team, including my
manager
A manager is a boss at work. They tell you what you need to do and give you support if you need it.
, are patient and supportive. That helps me a lot, and it’s important to know that it’s okay to ask for help if you need it.
We all share the same world, so it’s important to be patient, and have good manners. Clear speaking and writing can make a big difference, especially when someone might not understand right away. And it is not always a marathon, so taking the time to slow down and communicate helps.
So, let’s all work on being a bit more understanding - It makes life a lot nicer for everyone!"
Amy Clarke Digital Assistant Mencap