Out Spoken, a project run by CHANGE, is offering free self-advocacy workshops for LGBTQI+ adults who are autistic and/or have a learning disability.
The workshops will enable people to learn more about their rights and build up their self-confidence, as well as offering training for Health and Social Care professionals to learn more about how they can provide better services, support people and help get rid of barriers.
Alongside the workshops, Out Spoken is running a peer support programme to provide opportunities for support and socialising through activities.
The project is guided and delivered by people who have first-hand experience of the barriers that can make life harder for LGBTQI+ adults with a learning disability and/or autism, and hopes to strengthen the voices of others in the same position.
Ultimately, the project hopes to help marginalised adults to access better services, while educating healthcare professionals and allies, therefore reducing discrimination.
The workshops are open to those based in Leeds and will take place between the 25th October and the 1st December.
For adults with learning disabilities, the workshops will run on Zoom every Monday between 11am and 12pm, and those for autistic adults will run every Wednesday between 6pm and 7pm.
The topics of focus during the workshops will be: self-advocacy and your rights; groups and people who can support you; and resources which can help you deal with barriers when you use health and social care services.
CHANGE is aware that Zoom classes are not accessible to everyone so will be offering the same classes in-person next year.
For more information about the workshops and to read an Easy Read document all about being LGBTQI+, please visit CHANGE’s website.
