Every Vote Counts! pack launched

We have launched free multimedia tool to engage people with learning disabilities in the democratic process.

With European Parliamentary elections this June and a UK general election just around the corner, we have made a pack to make the democratic process more accessible to the thousands of people with learning disabilities in England.

The pack has been made as part of the three year project Every Vote Counts! which is funded by the Electoral Commission.

The CD and booklet helps people with learning disabilities and their support workers to engage more with politics. It covers everything from why politics is important, to how to support someone to lobby their MP or to join a local action group.

Research carried out by United Response, as part of the project, revealed that while 80% of people with learning disabilities supported by the charity are registered to vote, only 16% participated in the last general election. This compares with 61% turnout across the nation as a whole.

Read the full press release about the pack launch on United Response's website

Go to the Every Vote Counts! website to order your pack

Valuing People Now strategy published

The government has published its three year strategy Valuing People Now.

This sets out a strategy for people with learning disabilities following consultation.

We have commented on this on our website. Read our press release about Valuing People Now.

You can find the full strategy, an executive summary and an easy-read version on the Department of Health's website.

Campaign for better funding - get involved!

United Response is a member of the Learning Disability Coalition, which is campaigning for better funding for social care for people with learning disabilities.

The Coalition is calling on MPs to sign its Early Day Motion (EDM). An EDM is essentially a petition that MPs can sign to ask the government to take action on an issue.

Go to the form on the Learning Disability Coalition's website to help you contact your MP and ask them to sign up.

The website also gives you the opportunity to sign the online petition to support the Learning Disablity Coalition's work.

London Recruitment day - calling support staff!

We are holding a recruitment day at our Putney offices in London on 11th February.

If you live in the London area and fancy working for us, come along to our recruitment day!

We have several senior support worker and support worker vacancies we are looking to fill.

All you need to do is to register online, answer some questions and then you could either qualify for an interview on the recruitment day or at a later stage.

Go to the page on our jobs site to register and find out more

You can find out more about working for United Response and some of the benefits you will receive on our own site. Go to the jobs home page on our site at www.unitedresponse.org.uk/jobs

Happy New Year! - fancy a challenge?

We've added another date to our Trek in Machu Picchu challenge event.

As well as the trek from 28th March - 6th April there is another trip planned for 18th-27th September. So there's plenty of time to fundraise!

Update: We've added another date to our London to Paris bike ride too!

The new dates are 1st-5th July. Enough time to really get that fitness campaign underway.

For details on both challenge events, go to the challenge events page on our website.