Interim Ceo
CurrentPeople with learning disabilities have the same right to choices about life and love as the rest of us – the issue is how to make sure that those choices can be made safely and with the information we all need. People with learning disabilities want and need to discuss topics that parents, carers and support organisations often struggle to address, including sex, relationships, sexuality, personal health issues and staying safe. Josephine & Jack are life-size cloth figures that our specialist course leaders use in workshops and one-to-one work with people with learning disabilities from 8 to 80 to discuss the health, wellbeing and safety issues that people find difficult to talk about. This leads to improved mental health and well-being, increased personal safety and happier and more fulfilled lives.Our workshops are based around the idea that Jack or Josephine has a particular issue that’s concerning them or that they’d like to find out more about - for example: Josephine has been invited to a smear test - or Jack fancies a girl at the club and would like to ask her out on a date. Through storytelling, games and role-play we explore the issue with a small group of participants and come up with a solution or an answer to which we all contributed and which we all understand. There is no other project anywhere (as far as we’re aware) that uses our blend of drama, narrative and creativity with cloth figures to support people with learning disabilities to understand their feelings, rights and responsibilities about life and love.
