Do you see me? Looking back on Learning Disability Week

This year’s theme was “Do you see me?” It asked an important question. Do we see people for who they are, for what they bring, for the things they enjoy, and for the contribution they make? Or do we only see support needs, labels, and assumptions?

At EveryStory, this theme feels very close to who we are. Our purpose is to provide a place where who you are matters most. That means recognising each person for who they are, including their personality, interests, skills, humour, opinions, ambitions, and relationships.

It also means making sure people are heard. In their homes, in their communities, in decisions about their support, and in the way EveryStory grows and changes.

Learning Disability Week was last week, but the message should stay with us all year round.

Seeing people for what they bring

When we talk about being seen, we are also talking about being recognised for the part we play in the world around us.

Joe, one of the people we support, volunteers once a week with Charlton Athletic Football Club. He helps serve food and drinks, keeps things clean and tidy, and enjoys being part of the team.

When asked what he enjoys most, Joe said he likes talking to people. He feels his contribution is appreciated, and that he is making a positive difference at the club.

Joe’s mum supported him to find the volunteering role, and the experience has helped him build confidence, responsibility, and practical workplace skills. It has also encouraged him to think about other ways he can help out in his local area.

Joe is also a DJ, and music is a big part of his life. His message is simple and powerful:
 

“Having a disability doesn’t stop me from being a DJ. Don’t let anything hold you back, carry on and keep doing what you love.”

That is what being seen looks like. Seeing Joe as a volunteer, a teammate, a DJ, a music lover, and someone with something valuable to give.

Seeing people as part of their community

Jake, another person we support, volunteers at an accessible sailing club in London. Sailing has become a big part of his life.

Jake says he likes the teamwork, and that sailing is part of his lifestyle. It has helped him learn more about sailing and swimming, and it has helped him become more physically fit. He also supports children who are learning to sail.

Jake told us:
 

“I work with the kids who are learning to sail. Sometimes they don’t listen and they could fall in the water. All the other volunteers and managers are all very nice and they say I am doing a very good job. I’m smashing it. I’m never late, I work hard.”

Jake has volunteered in lots of different places over the years. At college, he volunteered in charity shops, where he checked deliveries, tidied the store, hung up clothes, spoke with customers, and priced items. He has also volunteered at a riding stable, feeding horses and keeping them clean, and at a primary school, coaching children’s football with the PE teacher.

These experiences show something important. When people are given the chance to take part, they bring their own strengths, interests and personality with them.

We also spoke to the sailing club about why volunteers matter. They explained that the club is run entirely by volunteers, so without them, it would not exist. Their view is that everyone is welcome and equal, whether they have a learning disability or not.

When asked how people with learning disabilities add value to the club, they spoke about recognising each person’s unique strengths and finding the right role for them. One person’s kindness, for example, helped them connect with beginners, so they were placed with people learning the ropes.

That kind of approach makes a real difference. It helps people contribute in a way that suits who they are, while also helping them learn, grow, and build new skills.

Seeing people as decision-makers

Being seen is also about having influence.

At EveryStory, the people we support play an active part in our recruitment process. They sit on interview panels and help shape the teams that join us. This matters because support should be shaped by the people who draw on it.

The phrase “nothing about us without us” is often used in disability rights. For us, it means people should have a real voice in decisions that affect their lives. Recruitment is one of those decisions.

We have recently welcomed new members to our recruitment panel, and we are looking forward to the insight they will bring.

Jack, one of our new panel members, explained why he wanted to take part:
 

“I joined the recruitment panel to make my voice heard as an autistic person, and for my self-development. Being able to be a part of a team who thinks about the best candidates to support people allows me to give a lived experienced view. As I know most of the people we support, I can also think about their characters when I am interviewing and making a decision in the team.”

Jack has also worked for a few years as part of the admin team at EveryStory, which has given him strong knowledge of the office and the organisation. He enjoys his work and sees the recruitment panel as another way to gain experience and learn more about people.

This is a good example of people being listened to in a practical way. It is about using lived experience, knowing people well, asking the questions that matter, and helping choose staff who will be part of people’s everyday lives.

Why this matters to EveryStory

Stephen, our Director of Operations and Development, spoke about why recruitment panels matter so much:
 

“Recruitment is so important to any charity, but when we are trying to employ staff who will be supporting people in their own homes, we need to ensure that those people who require support are part of that process. By having people we support on the recruitment panel, we can ensure that they can ask the questions that matter to them, and we genuinely want to hear what they think.”

He also explained that it gives EveryStory a chance to see how candidates interact with the people we support, while giving panel members the opportunity to earn as paid members of the team.

Gill, EveryStory’s CEO, shared why having people with lived experience on recruitment panels is so important:
 

“The people we support should be able to choose who works with us, who runs the charity and who governs the charity. We know the people we support are the experts in their own lives.”

Gill also said that if someone cannot communicate effectively with people at interview, it raises an important question about whether they are right for the role.

She added:
 

“I am proud of the fact that EveryStory has a fantastic paid recruitment panel, made up of several people we support. Several of those panel members interviewed me for my role, and to me, they were the people I knew I had to impress the most.”

That says a lot about what EveryStory stands for. People should have a say in who supports them, who leads the organisation, and who helps shape its future.

More than one week

Learning Disability Week gives people a platform to share experiences, challenge stigma, and ask society to think differently. This year’s theme, “Do you see me?”, is something we should keep asking long after the week has ended.

Do we see Joe as a DJ, a volunteer, and someone making a difference at Charlton Athletic Football Club?

Do we see Jake as a sailor, a coach, a volunteer, and someone who works hard and supports others?

Do we see Jack as a colleague, a panel member, and someone bringing lived experience into decisions about recruitment?

At EveryStory, the answer is yes.

Seeing people properly means listening to what they have to say. It means recognising their talents, interests and contribution. It means creating spaces where people have real influence, not just involvement. It means making sure people are part of their communities, part of decisions, and part of the story being told about them.

Learning Disability Week may have passed for this year, but the work continues every day.

Because everyone deserves to be seen. Everyone deserves to be heard. And everyone deserves a place where who they are matters most.