Cllr Lucinda Yeadon with Susan Hanley in the council chamber
A young woman with learning disabilities has spent today (Monday) shadowing a senior councillor in Leeds.
Susan Hanley got a taste for local government when she co-chaired the ‘Great Council Chamber Takeover’ in January this year. This unique event saw 50 adults with learning disabilities 'takeover' the council chamber at Leeds Civic Hall to find out how local democracy works. She was also part of a delegation from Leeds that travelled down to Westminster in the summer to meet with local MPs as part of Learning Disabilities Awareness Week.
The takeover event was supported by councillors from all parties, with Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, who has responsibility for adult health and social care in Leeds, getting involved as one of four councillors on a panel answering questions from the delegates. Cllr Yeadon was pleased to be able to help Susan get an even better feel for the work of a senior councillor by inviting her to shadow her for a typical day.
Susan said:
“I really enjoyed spending the day with Lucinda. It was interesting to see the variety of different things that she is involved in, and the work that she is doing to support adults in the city.
“I’m really interested in how local government works, and what people with learning disabilities can do to make sure that their views are heard. Having this opportunity makes me feel that the council are prepared to listen to our problems and take on board some of our ideas.”
Councillor Yeadon said:
“The Great Council Chamber Takeover day was a fantastic event, and Susan did a fantastic job as co-chair.
“She has a really positive attitude, with great enthusiasm and a lovely sense of humour. She is truly inspirational for a lot of people with and without learning disabilities.
“Susan is a strong woman, and has taken lots of opportunities and pushed herself forward, in order to have a say on how the lives of adults with learning disabilities in Leeds and all across the country could be improved.
“It was a real pleasure to have her with me today, and I hope that the experience will empower her to continue to challenge prejudices and make sure that people with learning disabilities have a voice.”
Susan accompanied Cllr Yeadon to a number of appointments including a briefing with the deputy director of adult health and social care, attendance at the Leeds Involving People annual general meeting, a visit to a council base for adults with learning disabilities, and a meeting with the chair of the health and social care scrutiny board.
Susan has Down’s Syndrome and used to attend a day centre for people with learning disabilities in West Ardsley. Through the centre she went on a series of work placements, working as a waitress, an administrator and a shop assistant.
In 2004, Susan took the opportunity to make a more direct impact on improving the lives of people with learning disabilities by securing a job at ‘Change’, a national campaigning organisation for people with learning disabilities. Here, she worked on many important projects including one called ‘Making Partnership Boards Work’, which looked at the issues facing people with learning disabilities getting their voices heard at a strategic level. The results were recommendations for making improvements. Susan went on to work to help partnership boards work better all across the country.
Susan has also done a lot of work making information accessible for people with learning disabilities, including the use of Easywords and Pictures. She has delivered training on this to many organisations including the (then) Commission for Social Care Inspection. She has worked on several DVDs for people with learning disabilities and for staff training on subjects as diverse as better health and saving energy.
In 2009, after a formal interview process, Susan took up the position of co-chair of the Leeds Learning Disabilities Partnership Board alongside Derek Thomas. This is the strategic board that aims to make improvements in the lives of people with learning disabilities in Leeds. Her role is to challenge prejudices and ensure the voices of people with learning disabilities are heard.
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Additional info
The Leeds Learning Disabilities Partnership Board is made up of people with learning disabilities, family carers and partners from the public, private, community and voluntary sectors. Leeds City Council and NHS Leeds are the main funders of work commissioned by the board.
For media enquiries, please contact;
Claire Macklam, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 395 1578
Email: claire.macklam@leeds.gov.uk
