Learning Disability England is bringing people and organisations together to create a movement for change where people with learning disabilities, families, friends and paid supporters come together on an equal basis.
When you join Learning Disability England, you are becoming part of this movement.
This means you are agreeing with our aims.
We organise our membership to reflect three different experiences and voices:
– Self-advocates (including self-advocacy organisations)
– Families and friends (including family carer and support organisations)
– Paid supporters and partners (including individuals who work in social care, service providers, commissioners, universities, development agencies and others)
Membership of Learning Disability England is an opportunity:
To be a part of the change Learning Disability England members are making together
To influence and inform the campaigning, influencing and key messages Learning Disability England uses in its work with partners, government or members.
All members get:
Up to date information, news and resources including a weekly email newsletter.
Help to be well connected and not isolated by joining a network of like-minded people and organisations.
Access to events, meetings and conferences we run at a reduced rate or free where we can.
This includes being entered into a lottery for a free ticket to our annual conference.
A formal vote on key decisions, including Representative Body elections.
A say in what Learning Disability England does day to day.
Groups and organisations also benefit by:
Helping your organisation’s mission
By supporting work or campaigns you agree with.
By contributing to a wider benefit to your community of interest or
beneficiaries.
Helping change and improve what you do
You get good information, solutions to problems and new ideas through facilitated co-production and quality and improvement tools and networks.
Everyone is challenged, based on rights and people with learning disabilities’ priorities – a conscience and a help.
Facilitated problem-solving networks or debates on issues that face people and organisations including policy and practice changes.
For example, Learning Disability England members have worked together on challenging the misuse of DNAR notices and directly influenced the work on stopping them.
Paid supporter organisational members with a turnover of £1 million or more get a free place at the annual conference.
Enhanced paid supporter organisational members also get 2 days of free direct support from the Learning Disability England team on a relevant issue chosen by the member.
We work hard to make sure that people with learning disabilities’ voices are strong in Learning Disability England and not drowned out.
So we keep a check on what experiences individual members bring, as well as making sure organisations do not have more say on what we do because they are big or have more money.