Apart from, as Ian put it: [Wanting] “… to know what the people [with learning difficulties are] doing in their lives right now”, there is another reason why it is important that we as people with learning
difficulties should be doing this research. Jennifer has explained why we are doing this research:
… People like psychiatrists and doctors and
teachers and stuff are writing stuff about us saying that we are stupid and can’t do stuff, but we are not stupid. We’ve got our own minds. We know what’s good for us and we know what we want in our lives, not them telling us what we want in our lives. They’re the ones who are wrong.
Maggie said the following about why it is good that people with learning difficulties have done this research:
To say our say about what we think… to tell people our views.
We want to tell you...
We chose each other because we get on
We have to work with each other. We wouldn’t be happy if the staff chose anyone to join the group.
The service users are in charge of the Research Group and it would be wrong if the staff chose who they would like in the group. We feel safe here.
We are the ones controlling the Research Group. Vic is just supporting us.
People with learning difficulties are treated really badly. They [some people without learning difficulties] treat you like dirt, like you don’t exist.
They think we can stand there and take it. They think they know better.
They think they are clever. They are no different from you. We all have needs.
We would like to have our voices heard all over the United Kingdom.
We want our voice to be heard all over the world. We want everyone to have copies of this book.
Because they will walk all over you if your voice is not heard.
If you sit there and don’t say anything they will still take the piss out of you. If you stand up for your rights they leave you alone.
[We want our voice to be heard] So that people can
understand our feelings and notice us as well. They [some people without learning difficulties] think we haven’t got feelings but we have and that’s why people take the Mickey out of us and it’s got to be stopped.
You have a bra i n , you have a mind, you have ch o i c e s. I t ’s yo u r life at the end of the day.
We want staff to understand people with learning disabilities.
Chapter 3 Researching together
Our research suppor t
We have a supporter called Vic. He is white. He goes to Brunel University to do a Ph.D. He works with Professor Peter Beresford in the Centre for Citizen Participation. Vic helps us to do what we want. He helps with writing things down and is helping us to make this book. We went to Brunel University to meet with Peter and talk about the work we do while we had lunch there.
Vanessa said:
Vic is just here to support us… he is there for us, just to make sure that we are getting the right support that we need.
Vanessa said:
He supports us on the work we are doing. As well as supporting us to do the research and write this book Vic does other support.
As Vanessa put it:
Vic does other support work as and when we need it.
Vanessa said:
Vic supports me to make phone calls to Social Services, to phone where I live, to phone cab companies and he supports me on sorting out things that I need sorting out like if I was going to go somewhere and I needed to get hold of that person to say that I need to be picked up.
We all support each other as well. This is what we have to say about helping each other:
Ian said:
We all support each other in this group. Jennifer said:
We look after each other in this group, which we do quite a lot.
Vanessa said:
We are there to help each other out. We listen to each other and don’t criticize each other.
In a different People First Group one of the group members called Vanessa a “bitch”.
Vanessa said:
So I called her it back… we don’t do that in here. Maggie said:
We work together. Jennifer said:
This is what this research group is all about, working together.
Vanessa said:
Ray was very supportive and very helpful to me… Ray was a friend to the group.
Ian said:
He was trusting. Vanessa said:
I trusted him because anything I told him didn’t go out.
Ian said:
I used to call him Mr. Blobby. He thought it was funny.
Vanessa said: I miss Ray.