At Speakup, people with learning disabilities and autistic people are at the heart of our organisation – working as valued colleagues, shaping our work, sharing expertise and taking on leadership roles.
We are proud to be one of the largest employers of people with lived experience. People with learning disabilities and autistic people work across all areas of Speakup, from delivering training and contributing to national research projects to influencing services and making important decisions about the future of our organisation. Lived experience is represented at every level, right through to our Board of Trustees.
Our team includes trainers, researchers, CQC and CTR inspectors, leaders and experts by experience. Colleagues work on projects locally, regionally and nationally and play an important role in delivering the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism across South Yorkshire.
For us, lived experience is expertise. This expertise deserves to be recognised, valued and paid.
See the person. Recognise the talent.
We want more employers to recognise the skills, abilities and potential that can too often be overlooked.
People with learning disabilities and autistic people have ambitions, talents and valuable contributions to make in workplaces everywhere. Inclusive employment can mean thinking differently about recruitment, communication, job design and reasonable adjustments. Often, relatively small changes can remove barriers and create opportunities for people to succeed. The Employment is for Everyone Website can offer organisations support and training in how to do this.
At Speakup, we know the value of an inclusive workforce. Different perspectives make our organisation stronger, challenge assumptions and help ensure our work is informed and led by the people whose experiences matter.
Inclusive employment is not about doing someone a favour. It is about recognising talent, removing unnecessary barriers and giving everyone a fair opportunity to contribute, develop and lead.
What talent could your organisation be missing?
We want to encourage employers to think differently about recruitment and recognise the value that people with lived experience can bring to their organisation.
Look beyond the label. Recognise the person. Remove the barriers. Create meaningful opportunities. Pay people for their skills and expertise.
By opening up more meaningful employment opportunities, we can create workplaces where people with learning disabilities and autistic people are valued as colleagues, experts, decision-makers and leaders.