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

Making Money Easier launches!

United Response has made a new guide to help people with learning disabilities live independently.

It's called Your Money, Your Home and tells people some of the things they need to know about living in their own house or flat. And how to manage the things they need to pay for.

To find out more you can visit the Your Money, Your Home website

We would like to say a big thank you to HSBC and the Now Let's Talk Money Campaign for funding Your Money, Your Home.

The website is part of a bigger resource called Making Money Easier.

The Making Money Easier resource was produced by ARC and United Response. There is a set of printed booklets and a website produced by ARC. The website is at www.making-money-easier.info

You can find out more background about the resources on our website.

The Big Event update - success!

The Big Event was great. It was held by In Control, a national organisation which has been piloting the use of individual budgets - or "self-directed support" - among learning disabled people in the UK.

There were dozens of organisations from around the country, as well as people with learning disabilities and their support workers at the event. And they all shared best practice and insights.

We were one of the few organisations invited to host a dedicated room to demonstrate the best of our own work.

We held five sessions during the day, including a workshop by UR Consultants demonstrating how to make information accessible to people with learning disabilities, and sessions on employment, independent living and person-centred active support.

The sessions went down really well! More than 100 people took part in our workshops.