Support provided to members of the Voices Council
Support provided to members of the Voices Council
Mencap provide lots of support to make sure that you have a really great, rewarding
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
during your time on the
Voices Council
The Mencap Voices Council are a group of 12 people with a learning disability. They share their views and experiences to help Mencap's Board of Trustees make decisions.
at Mencap. The Voices
Council
A council is also called a local authority. 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.
group are very supportive and we all have to support each other.
You will be required to attend the Voices Council meetings in person. This in the Voices Council committee terms of reference. Any reasonable adjustments need to be confirmed with the Chair and Governance Inclusion Lead.
We will respect Respect means showing someone you think about someone's feelings, wishes or rights. your communication preferences and facilitate these in the meeting. If you have a diagnosis A diagnosis is when a medical professional like a doctor has said you have a certain illness or condition. of another disability, it might be helpful to share this. This is to make sure we can support you as much as we can.
Mencap cannot take responsibility Responsibility is managing or being in charge of something. for 1-2-1 support for Council members. This is for when they are travelling and during the time that they are away from their home.
Interview process
We will give you an opportunity to shadow a Voices Council meeting before you join us. This is so that you can see whether you like the activities and how you get on with the group members.
We will run an inclusive recruitment process. This includes reasonable adjustments being met at
interview
An interview is a meeting where you talk to someone or a group of people about something. When you have an interview for a job, you have to answer questions and say why you would be good at the job. The person who gives the best answers is offered the job.
and sending interview questions beforehand.
Before the meeting
We can support you to read the papers online by phone or on Microsoft Teams.
We will support you to think independently and come up with your own ideas. This is so that you can respond to the topics that are on the table for discussion.
We will give you as much information as we can to allow you to prepare for the meeting. We will give you the paperwork for the meeting at least 5 working days’ before the meeting. This is so you can ask any questions.
Travel to the meeting
- We will book your travel and accommodation for you. This will be completed at least 1 week before the date of the meeting. Mencap will pay for the travel and accommodation for 1 supporter to come with you. This will be a standard class train ticket and a Premier Inn hotel room, 1 for you and 1 for the supporter. Mencap do not provide a
support worker
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
or supporter for you. - Assisted travel assistance must be arranged with the transport provider by you.
- We will support you to plan the route to take to travel to the meeting.
- The travel should be booked with an off peak ticket. We will ask you to find the cheapest route.
- Members and supporters can claim back money for their dinner for the night before the meeting if they are travelling the day before.
- All expenses Expenses means the money you spend to buy things or pay for services. that are claimed will be in line with our Mencap guidance Guidance means being given clear instructions to be able to do something well. .
During the meeting
- We will try to make the meeting as inclusive as we can. This is a shared responsibility of all the group’s members.
- We all have to help one another.
- We will send you an
easy read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
agenda
An agenda is a list of things to talk about at a meeting.
and audio agenda before the meeting. - We will ask speakers to give an easy read presentation and to answer your questions.
- We will provide a sandwich lunch.
- We will provide soft drinks and snacks.
- We will do a 4+1 Question activity. This gives you an opportunity to check how the meeting went with other group members and colleagues.
- We will try to make sure you can keep up with the conversation and understand what everyone was saying.
- We do not take responsibility for any meditation that you need to take at the meeting.
- We will accommodate your reasonable adjustments.
After the meeting
- We will give you feedback about how you got on. This will be from Mencap staff and the Voices Council Chairs.
- We will send you easy read and an audio version of the meeting minutes.
- We can signpost you to
volunteer
A volunteer is someone who helps out by doing work for free.
opportunities to get
involved
Involved is being included in something or taking part in something.
with Mencap.
This page was first published in July 2025.
Last updated 09/07/2025.