Introducing myself and career.

 I am Sara Jane Gorman. I was born at the Beeches Nursing home on the Tettenhall road, Friday 24^th October 1969. I was born with Mild brain damage at the birth lack of oxygen to the left hand side of my brain. It caused me to have mild learning disabilities, which possibly is a mild Autism, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Epilepsy which has not been diagnosed.

                                                                        CV

sarajgorman@gmail.com

Profile

I am a keen and committed individual who is experienced in working with Advocacy groups.  I am confident in my approach to this work and also have experience in presenting information. Currently I am looking for opportunities to work with people with a learning disability in Advocacy work.

Work History

·       Mencap. March 2007 to May 2011.

·       Self Advocacy and Learning Disability Awareness, both paid and voluntary work.

·       Written and co –produced a play highlighting difficulties people with disabilities face to get work.

Key Skills and Additional Activities

·        Self motivated in approach to work

·        Committed to help improve outcomes for individuals with a learning disability

·        Confident in presenting information

·        Assisted in chairing meetings, minute taking and supporting people with disabilities to chair meetings on their own topic.

·        I used to be a Learning Disability MP supported by a Self – Advocacy group called Changing Our Lives.

·        Helped Mencap set up a Disabled Writer’s group.

Apr 2013-Pres

One Voice, Wolverhampton

Advocacy Information Advisor

·        Advising clients to make own informed decisions on debt, welfare and rights

·        Liaise with people of all backgrounds, with/without learning difficulties & disabilities

·        Awareness of current legislation and policies

·        Completing application forms and paperwork with clients

December 2009 - December 2010

Learning Disability Awareness trainer

Self employed

·        Began self employment supported by Mencap and Employment Pathways.

·        Role as awareness trainer involved training a library team to understand learning disabilities including providing information in accessible information.

·        I have raised awareness around learning disability to Health professions by doing drama plays and presentations.

November 2005 – January 2006

Job change Employment Scheme: Penn Hall School

Work Placement.

·        Provided support for children with disabilities in the classroom.

·        Help them to build their confidence and self esteem.

1997 – 2007                Employment Team Scheme work placement:

·        Employment placement, paid unpaid, included:

·         The Maltons Day centre, Wolverhampton

·         Making drinks for residents

1997 – 2002                Warstones Library:  Voluntary librarian assistant

·          Assisted with the issuing and availability of books

·          Tidied the library including shelving books

·          Dealing with general public of all ages.

Employment Team Office:

·          Involved answering phones, typing and photocopying.

1995 -1997                  Multi-starts and Training for Work:

Employment placements included:-

Compton Hospice

·          Involved working in the charity shop.

·          Dealing with the general public.

Beacon Centre for the Blind

·          Undertook general office duties. I was on a scheme called training for work.

1992 – 1993                Adult training: Fairholme Care Home, Oswestry

·          Chatting to residents, helping at meal times.

Education and Training

2013                            Wolverhampton Adult Education

·       Functional Skills Entry Level 3

2013                            City of Wolverhampton College

·       Level 1 Certificate for IT Users (ITQ) 5 modules.

·       Level 1 Improving productivity using IT 1 (3credits)

·       Level 1 Security for users 1(1 credits)

·       Level 1 IT software 1 (3 credits)

·       Level 1Presentation software 1 (3credits)

·       Level 1 Processing Software 1 (3 credits)

2014     Introduction to Advocacy Skills GATACS (Generic Advocacy Training and Consultancy Services)

·       Introduction to Advocacy Skills Level One 3 Credits

·       Advocacy Skills Level Two 3 Credits.

EOS Employment service.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults 26.1.2015 – 25.1.2018

Old Hall Street College

·       80%

Level 1 Function skills English pass mark 18/18 February 2015 

·       Speaking and Listening 6/6 July 2014

·       Writing 6/6 July 2014

·       Reading 6/6 February 2015

Level 1 Certificate for IT Users

1994-2012                   City of Wolverhampton College

·       OCR R.S.A Communication in reading and writing Level 3

·       Basic Literacy Entry 3

·       OCN Creative Communication 2 credits

·       City and Guilds Communication Skills Word power Foundation Level

·       OCR R.S.A communication in writing and reading

·       Level 2 Next Steps Learn direct Word Skills check

·       Entry Level Award for IT User - (ITQ) (Entry3)

·       Introduction to Mentoring Skills

2008                            Access 2 Business

·       EDCC Word Processing Beginner and Intermediate

·       Spreadsheet beginner

2006 – 2007                Dudley College

OCR Speaking and Listening Entry Level 3

Jul 2005 – Feb 2006 Job Change, Wolverhampton

·       Learn direct: A Way with Words Entry 3

·       Learn direct: A Way with Words Level 1

·       Learn direct: A Way with Words Level 2

·       Learn direct: Number Skills Check

·       Learn direct: Preparing for Testing Level 1

2004-2005                     Old Hall Street College

·       OCN 6 Credits at Entry 3 Learning for Life Literacy/Numeracy/ICT

1991                            Education and Qualifications. Newtown College:

·       City and Guilds Practical Caring skills certificate

Hobbies and Interests

I am a keen writer and have had a poem published. In March 2009, I went on a Script and Screen course to improve my writing. I also enjoy many other activities including drawing, painting, reading, swimming and darts.

References

Available on request.

 Eight years ago I went into Learning Disability and Mental Health aware and Advocacy starting with Our Shout supported by Royal Wolverhampton Mencap from 2007 - 2011,   LD Service User and LD MP. In 2010 I became a Group Support. From 2012 - 2015 One Voice Advocacy service Wolverhampton, 2012 to present University Of Wolverhampton.

I was Self – Employed for a very short time, I had a very small business called Access All Areas Now! I shared with someone else with learning disabilities. We were supported by Mencap and Employment Pathways. We were Learning Disability Awareness trainers. In the end we had very little time, work and services had very little money to support us.

I have been writing short stories and my life story since I was 23; I’m now nearly 46 years old.

 In 1993, I was stopping at my Grandmother’s house; I was very bored because I was recovering from Cancer of the throat. All of a sudden I watched the ten o; clock news with Travel McDonald telling the world that Britain’s care homes were closing down, it up set me very much.  For some silly reason I was messing around with pen and paper. For some strange reason I started think about the writer Charles Dickens and the work he did orphans in the 1800s. This inspired me even though I didn't read any of Dickens’ work to write about people and animals worse off than myself. Raise half the money I earn to these charities.  I have had a poem published in each of 11 books. I have had very little support getting my work published due to my disabilities. I have been on a fare few Creative writing courses over the years. In 2009, I went on a Script and Screen course to try to better my writing then I helped out on a project at Penn Hall Special School helping the children to create their own Superheroes. I have also had little report printed in newsletters. I learned to enjoy create writing and poetry, making up my own stories but I started poetry when I was twenty – seven years of age.

I have found that employers don’t understand learning disability and Mental Health problems. If only they could let us do our job to train them to understand us. Learning Disability Awareness training is what they need, like or not we are the experts and we are the ones to do the job. Sadly not everyone takes notice of the Disability Discrimination Act.  Most employers and the government have made mistakes by saying people with disabilities and health problems can’t live an equal life to other people when we just need the right support to do so. The government spends the money on the wrong things. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting. The government just bores me but I need to fight my rights for learning disability and mental health. I used to be a Learning Disability MP. You are more than welcome to email me on sarajgorman@gmail.com

Not all people are good with computers but most people with disabilities and health problems are.

Not all of us can work to an employer speed but just need the right support to do the jobs quick and right.

We are seen as Health and Safety hazards to society full stop but with the right support we can be supported to be kept safe and healthily. With the right we can be supported to learn Health and Safety. 

About this report.

Like all disabilities Autism affects people’s lives different ways. For example there are different kinds of Autism like there are different kinds of disabilities. Two with the same disabilities may cope different. Two people the same Autism may cope different. Except the unexpected.

This book isn’t only written for people with Autism but for people with all disabilities and health problems. This book isn’t just about me as a person with Autism and other like but me as writer. The purpose of this book is to help people with LD and other people understand one another. This book is written for people with disabilities, health problems, carers, families, doctors, teachers, lawyers and etc. It isn’t just about education LD awareness it’s about understanding one another as human beings. I will work my hardest to interest my readers.

If you are working in the field of learning disability and even mental health you will need to learn about Accessible Information. For example; brail and sign language. A lot people with LD and health problems find information in speaking and writing very hard to understand. Too much jargon is very hard for us to cope.

 This report is linked onto to the kind of life I have had, my family history, which is about me and my disabilities. I started writing about my life 23 years ago. What I hope to write about on this website is the past, present and future of disabilities and health problems.

I hope people will learn about the problems people with LD and health has to face in everyday lives. Many people need support with everyday life skills. People need to balance between support and independences. Some things in life people with LD can access other things we can’t. Society tells us that there’s a limit of what we can do. For example; college, work, friendships, relationships and etc that other people can manage without support. There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Like all of us, they are individuals who want different things in life and need different levels of support.

  Brief introduction of what Causes of learning disabilities and health problems.

•      Before birth, things can happen to the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord) that can cause a learning disability.

•      A child can be born with a learning disability if the mother has an accident or illness while she is pregnant, or if the unborn baby develops certain genes.

•      Genes are chemicals in our bodies that contain information about us - like how we look.

•      A person can be born with a learning disability if he or she does not get enough oxygen during childbirth or is born too early.

•      After birth, a learning disability can be caused by early childhood illnesses

Later in this report I will be telling you what causes what but I may not be able to tell you why.

I will tell you how learning disability and health problems can affect day to day lives and how it can slow us down. How the slowness can make society misunderstand our abilities to get on in life. In our own time we can creative talent which mostly gets pushed to side because most of us can only work in our speed which is different compared other people. Society isn’t used to slowness. In Britain we have created a Person Centre Planning service to give people with LD and Mental Health problems more choice and control over lives. jill.coleman@macintyrecharity.org 

I will also tell you some history of learning disability. Back in history people who took a long time to learn and do things would be left out.

 All about Autism.

Not a lot of people understand disabilities that are hidden because the disabilities aren’t seen. It‘s unknown whether I have Autism or not because It was unknown. As the years went by my family had seen films and may read books on Autism. What they have learned is about who have faced the same problems as me. Being diagnosed was unknown 40 odd years ago. If by any chance I have Autism, there must some hidden form of Autism because my disabilities are hidden. I think the mild form if there is one is Asperger Syndrome. I could be Asperser.

Ays get the right help with work, benefits, home and act.

It’s the same as (ADHD) (Attention Deficit disorder) which can causes behaviour problems the person doesn’t feel equal to other people not having same rights yet they are happy with the right support. When they feel angry it can be very upsetting for others around them. Some people all these disabilities or you could get many different people facing just one of those problems each.

Language problems are milder in people with Asperger; it’s the same with hand and co –nation abilities, interaction, imagination and communication. People with Autism Spectrum may find to understand gestures and facial expressions hard. Both forms of Autism can misunderstand jokes; they may get words like me and you mixed up, repeat what people say or what they have said, flap their hands, twirling toes, only have interest one topic, having their route but they may get very upset by changes. Don’t be confused because this can vary from person to person it’s not the same for everyone. For example; these disabilities can linked with other disabilities or they can just

Example; these disabilities can either be linked or disability on its own.

It’s possible that I may have had ADHD as a child due to the tablets I was taking was far too strong for me. I was hyperactive

 At night and I couldn’t pay attention to the world around as a child.

 Since I have been off these tablets I have calmed down a lot but I do suffer from anxiety at times. I will say more about this subject later on in this book.

For example; I guess if I do have Autism that I have Asperser because my problems are very mild. Some people have more than one disability like myself for example; mild Autism, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Anxiety, depression and Epilepsy which I will take about later on this book.

Even though I haven’t been diagnosed for my disabilities I read about the problems I face, which I learned to realise that I am not the only one to face otherwise their wouldn’t be any research. In a strange way people with LD are our doctors because we only know what we face and feel. Whether we know what’s wrong is another matter. It helps if we come across someone going through same thing even we don’t wish them to do so. I will say more about these things in chapters to come.

We all know when we are children we like other children to be the same as us. If that’s not the case children can be very nasty to one another. What’s worse for people with LD is that LD slows us down. For example; I was bullied by children the age and younger because I couldn’t tie my shoe laces. That doesn’t mean say that I was the only child in the school who couldn’t but it still shouldn’t have been such a big deal.

Research says that people with Autism aren’t very good with imagination but we find it hard to mix with people. As a child I used to make up my own pertain games, world and stories. I have always been one for been lonely but watching the world go by at the same time. I hate been closed from people but I’m not very good around strangers. We can find it hard to understand peoples’ thoughts and feelings mainly if they are strangers to us. We may behave in a strange manner in the eyes of the rest of the world. We find it very hard to make friends and lovers. If we ever do make friends and lovers we find it hard to keep them. Not forgetting poor eye contact.  As I have gone through adulthood I have learned to accept the world as I’m better than I used to but I feel I still have a long way to go.

The cause of Autism is much unknown yet in my case it was cause from lack of oxygen to the brain at the birth. I guess just before the 21^st century there was a case on the news about the MMR injection that protects Measles/rubella is a risk of Autism. I have found hard to believe ever since a learning disability can be a side – accept from anything let alone an injection. I guess it’s more than likely to cause Autism Spectrum than Asperser Syndrome because ASP SYN is milder than AU SP.