Mencap have announced a new Chair and two new Vice-Chairs of the
Voices Council
The Mencap Voices
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
are a group of 12 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.
. They share their views and experiences to help Mencap's Board of Trustees make decisions.
, a committee of dedicated individuals with learning disabilities, who meet to discuss the charity’s work and priorities.
They report to Mencap’s trustees and leadership team, influencing their priorities and decision.
Jack Welch
Jack Welch is from Dorset and is a member of several
organisations
Organisations are groups like companies and businesses.
including Ambitious About
Autism
Autism is a disability. Autistic people find it difficult to understand what other people think and feel. They also find it difficult to tell people what they think and feel. Everyone with autism is different.
, YoungMinds, and
NHS
The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals.
England, which he advises on their engagement of people with a learning disability or
autism
Autism is a disability. Autistic people find it difficult to understand what other people think and feel. They also find it difficult to tell people what they think and feel. Everyone with autism is different.
.
Sam Jefferies
Sam Jefferies joined the Voices Council in November 2015. He has been
involved
Involved is being included in something or taking part in something.
in campaigns with Mencap on the Isle of Wight, where he lives, and is also a part of other voluntary
community
A community is the people and places in an area.
organisations.
Andrew Wilson
Andrew Wilson became a Mencap trustee in October 2015, bringing his expertise as someone with a learning disability. He also volunteers with the Leonard Cheshire Foundation and is a member of his local council ‘Disability Advisory’ and ‘Access and Inclusion’ groups.
New Chair, Jack Welch says:
“I am deeply honoured to have been appointed to serve as the first chair of the Voices Council. The growth and progress we have made since we first met as a group has been phenomenal.
“I want to see us at the forefront of putting people with a learning disability making decisions in the charity, and to act as a vehicle for the people that are supported or have personal experience as an individual, a relative or a friend, to influence the priorities.”
New Vice-Chair, Sam Jefferies says:
“The Voices Council enables people to voice their expert opinions on a range of subjects, to help Mencap shape their plans and make the right decisions in the best interests of people with a learning disability.”
-ENDS-
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact the Mencap press office on 020 7696 5414 or media@mencap.org.uk or for out of hours 07770 656 659.
Notes to editors
About Mencap
There are 1.4 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Mencap works to support people with a learning disability, their families and carers by fighting to change laws, improve services and access to
education
Education is when you learn things. When you fill in a form to get a job, education means you write where you went to school, college or university.
,
employment
Employment means having a job.
and
leisure
Leisure is when you have time to do things you enjoy like playing sports or going to the pub.
facilities. Mencap supports thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.
For advice and information about learning disability and Mencap services in your area, contact hte Learning Disability Helpline on 0808 808 1111 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday) or email helpline@mencap.org.uk
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which can cause problems with everyday tasks – for example shopping and cooking, or travelling to new places – which affects someone for their whole life.
People with a learning disability can take longer to learn new things and may need support to develop new skills, understand difficult information and engage with other people. The level of support someone needs is different with every individual. For example, someone with a severe learning disability might need much more support with daily tasks than someone with a mild learning disability.
Learning disability is not a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Very often the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used interchangeably with ‘learning disability’.