Mencap project to encourage people with learning disabilities to vote receives government funding

Learning disability charity Mencap is one of 5 nationalorganisations, along with every local authority in Britain, to receive a shareof £4.2 million for projects that aim to ensure everyone is signed up to vote.

The 5 organisations have been selected to find new ways ofreaching out to groups who feel most distant from the political process, andencouraging them to get involved in politics and register to vote.

Mencap’s ‘Me and My Vote’ project will create resources forpeople with a learning disability and develop a model for one-to-one supportfor people including families and carers, to encourage and enable engagementwith the democratic process, including registering to vote.

This funding comes as preparations continue for the switchto Individual Electoral Registration from June 2014 in England and Wales andSeptember in Scotland, when people will register individually rather than ashouseholds, and online registration will be available for the first time.

Greg Clark, Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, said:“I want to see more people from across society engaging in the democraticprocess and everyone should get their say at elections. Ensuring more peopleare registered to vote is vital in this process.”

Jan Tregelles (pictured), chief executive of Mencap, said: “Thisfunding is a truly positive step towards engagement and inclusion. This projectwill enable people with a learning disability to influence decisions which willhave a real impact on their everyday lives.”

LDT Editor

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