Tell us about your organisation.
Mencap Cymru supports people with a learning disability to live independently, to become a visible and important part of their local community, and to have their voice heard by policy and decision-makers.
We support over 400 people to live in their own homes in West, Southeast and North Wales with a mixture of outreach, domiciliary and registered services or in daytime services in Powys, Carmarthenshire & Blaenau Gwent. We also operate the only National Learning Disability Advice, Advocacy and Information service – The Wales Learning Disability Helpline, which has been supporting people with a learning disability and their families since 1999.
We also run small scale research and learning projects, such as a co-produced pilot project exploring how to move away from building based day activities in a way that builds on pre-existing friendships and relationships, early years support and research at Welsh universities.
We also support a network of over 25 groups across Wales providing support to people with a learning disability and their families in local communities.
Why are you supporting the awards?
We were impressed by Chwarae Teg’s commitment to make the Womenspire Awards more accessible and therefore have more people with a learning disability nominate or be nominated for awards. The awards already has an excellent track recording in acknowledging the contribution women with a learning disability have made to life in Wales. The new award we are proudly sponsoring will help further both our aims to see women with a learning disability recognised for the contribution they make to society.
Why does gender equality matter to you?
Mencap would not exist without a dedicated group of parents who founded our organisation, the social care workforce is overwhelmingly made up of women. It matters because many of the barriers women face affect us directly and indirectly. The systems and structures that are responsible for gender inequality are the same that hold back people with a learning disability.
Why do you support the work of Chwarae Teg?
Mencap Cymru is an organisation seeking equality and equity for people with a learning disability. A person of any gender, sexuality, ethnicity or class can have a learning disability. We believe that organisations work better together, the fight for social justice shouldn’t just be limited to our silos, it is the same cause. Our missions, though worded differently all seek a more inclusive society.