On March 5th, we had the amazing opportunity to attend the Learning Disability England (LDE) conference in Manchester. Karen, Casper, and Katie headed up the day before to prepare for a full day of learning and discussions. The conference brought together people with learning disabilities, family members, carers, and professionals from all kinds of organisations, all working towards a more inclusive future.

The setup was highly interactive, with different rooms offering various ways to engage before and between workshops.

One of the first stops was the Good Lives Framework Manifesto pledge room. Attendees wrote personal pledges about how they could support better lives for people with learning disabilities in their workplaces and communities. Photos were taken of participants holding their pledges, which were later displayed around the event.

Another room hosted NHS Benchmarking representatives who shared details about a survey for families and carers of people with learning disabilities who had recently been in hospital. Upstairs, the Self Advocate Cinema showcased powerful films made by and about people with learning disabilities.

The conference kicked off with two really powerful presentations:

• The first one highlighted the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities from ethnic minority backgrounds. It was eye-opening to see how being part of two minority groups can make things even harder and how we need to do more to address these issues.
• The second was from a woman with a learning disability who co-wrote The Keys to Citizenship. She worked with an experienced writer to bring this book to life, explaining seven key things that help people be included in their communities, like having a home, money, and a sense of purpose.

Karen and Katie then split up to attend different workshops so they could cover more ground:

Karen's Workshops:

• Campaign for Change – Tree of a Good Life: This session used a tree as a way of explaining how we can create lasting, positive change in social care and society.
• U-Night Group – Building Relationships and Connections: This was all about making sure people with learning disabilities have the same chances to build relationships as everyone else and tackling the attitudes that sometimes get in the way.

Katie's Workshops:

• IMPOWER – Making Strength-Based Practice Real: This session focused on the power of language. A lot of the time, reports and assessments use quite negative wording, which can feel impersonal and even dehumanising. Strength-based practice flips that around, using positive language to focus on people's potential.
• Skills for Care – A Workforce Strategy in Social Care: This was all about recruiting, training, and keeping staff in social care. While the strategy itself wasn't co-produced, they were open to ideas from the room, which was great to see.

There were some really fun and inspiring moments, too! During lunch, they got to watch Leaping Frogs, an inclusive band, perform some well-known songs. It was such a brilliant example of how people with learning disabilities can absolutely shine in the arts.

Later, they joined a session with Dance Syndrome, a co-produced dance organisation. One of their members performed a solo dance, and his mum spoke about how being part of Dance Syndrome has completely transformed his life. Then, they got the whole audience up on their feet to learn some moves!

Everyone left feeling really inspired. Karen was amazed at how many people were there. The room was absolutely packed! For Katie, the biggest takeaway was how much progress is being made with co-production. We must keep using our voices to make sure people listen and don't forget about us.

This trip wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Friends of Aldingbourne. Thanks to them, the team was able to experience so much, bring back loads of ideas, and get inspired for the future. Hopefully, there'll be more opportunities like this to come!

Become a Friend!
By becoming a Friend of Aldingbourne, you can help create more enriching experiences for the people we support. The Friends fund social events, Christmas meals, entertainment, and fundraising and grant applications to ensure the people we support have amazing opportunities, just like this conference. 🔗 https://www.aldingbournetrust.org/friends.html

As you know, we're pretty passionate about making sure everyone has the information they need to be heard, especially when it comes to voting. That's why we're excited to share a new project from Dynamite and MAKE, who've teamed up with Sarah Lehmkuehler, Electoral Engagement Officer for Portsmouth, to create an accessible voting guide.

The idea came about after an accessible voting session at MAKE last year. It went down well, but we know that many of the people we support benefit from having something they can refer back to. At a recent Accessibility Working Group meeting, Karen Murray, a volunteer at MAKE and Dynamite, highlighted the need for more easy-read information and suggested creating a picture book-style guide.

Members from both groups are now getting involved and will be featured in the new guide and video. Filming is set to take place at Portsmouth Museum on March 26th, and Sarah will return to Dynamite on May 7th to share the finished resources.

Everyone should have an equal opportunity to participate in the democratic process. For many, voting can feel overwhelming without the right support, and we believe that the more we can do to break down barriers, the more people will feel empowered to have their say.

The voting process needs to be clearer. It needs to be accessible so everyone can feel confident taking part. We'll share more updates as the project comes together!

​Written by Lizzie Senn. ​For any media inquiries, please get in touch with [email protected]

At Aldingbourne Trust, we're proud of the impact our WorkAid service is having. By helping adults with learning disabilities and autism find paid employment, we're changing lives. One of our latest partnerships, with Nando's, has led to 14 individuals securing jobs across five of its locations in Sussex. This brings the total number of people we've supported into work to over 1,600.

We first teamed up with Nando's when its Bognor Regis restaurant opened last year. Dan Massey, General Manager at Nando's Bognor Regis – Arun Retail Park, shared, "We're always looking at ways to attract and develop the best talent in our restaurants. The Nandocas [team members] we have welcomed via the Aldingbourne Trust have been fantastic additions to our team. They bring enthusiasm, dedication, and energy, and that's exactly what we need to continue delivering the great food and service we're known for."

At WorkAid, we take the time to understand what employers need and match them with individuals whose skills and interests align. We support businesses through the entire hiring process—from interviews and onboarding to workplace adjustments—so that both employers and employees feel supported every step of the way.

For those joining Nando's, the experience has been life-changing. Ieva, one of the new recruits, shared, "I have so much more confidence and am able to interact with people in a way I never thought I could," she said. "Since my discovery day, I have felt like I am truly understood and accepted as a woman with autism. I love the financial independence that this job brings, and meeting new people every day is a huge bonus."

Katie Williams, our Community Partnership Lead, hopes this success will inspire other businesses to get involved, "If Nando's can do it, places like Tesco and Sainsbury's can do it. We have people working in huge businesses, but we haven't found that major link in terms of supported employment yet. My job is to develop these leads, and I hope relationships can flourish just like Nando's."

This partnership is proof that inclusive employment benefits everyone: businesses gain committed employees, individuals achieve greater independence, and communities become more inclusive.

To learn more about WorkAid and how your business can get involved, visit: www.aldingbournetrust.org 

​Written by Lizzie Senn. ​For any media inquiries, please get in touch with [email protected]