Learning Disability Week 2024

A graphic saying Do you see me?
Two people with megaphones beside the June page from a calendar which has the third week of the month circled in red pen.

What is Learning Disability Week?

Each year, the third week of June is Learning Disability Week.

It is when we make sure the world hears what life is like if you have a learning disability.

A graphic saying Do you see me?

The theme for this year's Learning Disability Week is "Do you see me?"

A person with their arms in the air, smiling.

"Do you see me?" is about challenging the barriers people with a learning disability face.

A group of people with different conditions

We want to celebrate the things people with a learning disability bring to society.

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Learning Disability Week Easy Read

We've created an Easy Read guide to this years Learning Disability Week. 

Easy Read
A piece of artwork in purple with the words Do you see me?

How can I get involved in Learning Disability Week?

If you would like to get involved with Learning Disability Week you can:

  • Become an activist to challenge the barriers that people with a learning disability face.
  • Talk about and celebrate the amazing things that people with a learning disability are doing in your community .
  • Spread awareness of Learning Disability Week on social media. 
  • Donate to Mencap to help us continue to campaign for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.
People with a learning disability want to be seen, heard and valued

That's why we're calling for a change to improve statistics like these:

Only 26.7%

of adults with a learning disability are employed yet 86% of unemployed people with a learning disability want a paid job.

1 in 3

people with a learning disability spend less than 1 hour outside their home on a typical Saturday.

 

Over 2,000

people with a learning disability and/ or autistic people are currently locked away in mental health hospitals.

Information taken from our 2024 Mencap Manifesto
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A piece of artwork in purple with the words Do you see me?
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Say hello to Michael. 👋

Michael is challenging the barriers people with a learning disability face every day.

He's a Mencap Myth Buster, business owner, and competes at events at the Special Olympics for Great Britain. 

Watch the video

Being seen

Ellie achieved her lifelong dream and smashed boundaries as the first British Vogue cover model with Down's Syndrome. 

She wanted to make sure people with a learning disability were seen in society.

Watch the video

A piece of artwork in purple with the words Do you see me?
Donate to Mencap

£7

could answer a call from someone in crisis who reaches out to our Learning Disability Helpline for support.

£25

could help a trained caseworker stop a parent’s loved one from being wrongfully locked up in a mental health hospital.

£50

could help pay for urgent legal support for a family in desperate need of advice to prevent their loved one being admitted to an in-patient unit.

Frequently asked questions about Learning Disability Week

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