Learning Disability Week runs from 15th to 21st June. We take a look at organisations helping to raise awareness across Leeds and in the community.
Learning Disability Week is an annual opportunity to highlight what life with a learning disability is really like – challenging misconceptions, raising awareness, and promoting inclusive practices that make a genuine difference.
This year’s theme, ‘Do You See Me?’, carries a clear message from people with learning disabilities themselves – that they want to be seen, heard, and understood.
It is also, says Louise Maciag of Leeds Mencap, a moment to celebrate: “Learning disabled children and adults are more than their disability. While there are challenges faced, there are also wonderful positives for individuals with a learning disability and their families.” That spirit of celebration sits alongside important ongoing conversations about SEND reform and the government’s approach to improving systems for those with learning disabilities: “People need to be able to access the right support at the right time. These conversations are so important.”
Leeds Mencap has supported the learning disability community in Leeds for over 70 years. The charity works closely with families to provide social opportunities for young people, bespoke information and guidance for parents and carers, and spaces for people to come together, share experiences, and build a genuine sense of community. Its vision is that young people with learning disabilities, autism, and other complex needs reach their full potential and they are valued, supported, and equipped to thrive.
The past 12 months have been particularly significant for the charity as it was chosen as Lord Mayor’s Charity of the Year by Councillor Dan Cohen and Elayna Cohen, raising its profile considerably and generating support from organisations and individuals across the city.
This Learning Disability Week, young people attending Leeds Mencap’s programmes are taking part in a series of sponsored fundraisers. Club attendees and the Chats and Tots stay-and-play group are holding sponsored danceathons, the Siblings Group is taking part in sports- based games, and the nursery children are doing a sponsored pram push.
Leeds Jewish Welfare Board (LJWB) also provides vital support for adults with learning disabilities in our community. It operates three registered care homes for adults aged 20 to 80 – all fully kosher and recently upgraded with new kitchens and furniture. The focus is on helping residents to live full, independent lives, with an emphasis on social interaction alongside faith services and a wide range of inclusive group and self-directed activities, including art projects, karaoke, and events as part of Jewish Culture Month. Inclusion is central to the ethos of LJWB. Many of its volunteers themselves have additional needs, as do some of its full- and part-time staff. It also supports families with children who have additional needs, offering inclusive holiday sessions, direct therapeutic one-to-one support, and practical guidance to help with education, health, and care plans (EHCPs).
Alongside Leeds Mencap and LJWB, Forum Central coordinates a network of more than 100 third-sector organisations across Leeds working with and for people with learning disabilities – connecting services, amplifying voices, and ensuring the experiences of disabled people are heard at the highest levels of health and care planning. The People’s Parliament, a quarterly group of around 40 adults with learning disabilities, reports directly to the Leeds Learning Disability Partnership Board.
Events are taking place across Leeds throughout the week, including at the Civic Hall and in Millennium Square. It’s a moment for the whole community to get involved by sharing stories and challenging barriers.
