What can you learn about Learning Disability and Mental Health problems?

                  Personal introduction.

My name is Sara Jane Gorman. I used to be an Advocacy worker now for nearly eight years in October. I started in a Self Advocacy group called Our Shout, which was supported by Royal Wolverhampton Mencap, and then I trained One Voice Advocacy service as a private Advocacy work in February 2013, and then qualified in April 2013. I used to go to a lot of meetings to speak up the rights of people with learning disabilities when I was working for Mencap.

For a short length of time I was Group Supporter for Our Shout Self Advocacy group. I supported the group chair their own meetings to their choice of topic and write their own minutes and make them accessible for them to read and understand.

I enjoyed Advocacy work because I like to make a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities. As a person with learning disabilities my voice doesn't always get heard or understood like others like me or not much different to me. I like to speak for others so they can be heard and understood but then encourage them to speak for themselves so they can stand up for themselves. Mostly I find it easier to speak up for others than myself.

              

I have moved a step further into career from been a Learning Disability and Mental Health Awareness trainer to a Visiting Literature for the University of Wolverhampton at Walsall Campus, which is the same thing because I work in the same field. I raise awareness to the Student Learning Disability nurses about learning disability and mental health. Through having disabilities and health problems myself, I can raise awareness on other issues of live such as  School education, Adult education, employment, housing, support, everyday living skills and etc as well as health.  This is because I have had disabilities and health problems all my life; they are here for the rest of my life to come.

To find out what you can learn about learning disability.  http://www.learningdisability.co.uk/ or

http://www.learningdisability.com/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-woke-up-screaming-middle-5606730#ICID=sharebar_twitter

To find what you can learn about mental health. http://mentalhealth.com/home/healthhttp://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-news/blog/1102-06-23/.