Our new learning disability trainers
This week is Learning Disability Week, a chance to make sure that the world knows what life is like for people with a learning disability.
At NCHA we support many people with learning disabilities, and one of the ways that we make sure we’re doing this well is by rolling out Oliver McGowan training.
Oliver McGowan training
We were delighted to start delivering the tier two course earlier this year. This is a face to face, day-long training course. The course is led by our trainer Coralena and supported by co-trainers with lived experience of autism and learning difficulties. (Tier one, an e-learning course, was rolled out last year.)
We appealed for colleagues with lived experience to help us deliver this training and we were delighted that some great people put themselves forward.
Introducing our new Oliver McGowan co-trainers:
- Adam, Housing Project Worker
- Hannah, Clerk of Works – Aftercare Surveyor
- Joey, Projects Assistant.
Adam is relatively new to NCHA having only joined us in November 2024. He says:
“I was only diagnosed as autistic last year, but I’ve felt like I was ‘odd’ or ‘different’ all my life really. Having the ‘label’ of autistic helps me to access more support and helps other people to understand me better. I wanted to get involved in this training as a chance to explain what it’s like being autistic in society.”
Hannah’s own experience of being neurodiverse made her empathise with the need for this training. She said:
“When I read what had happened to Oliver McGowan I could really relate. I have been sedated and restrained against my will by healthcare professionals before. It’s important to advocate for yourself, but it’s also so important to be listened to and understood.”
Around 350 of our colleagues will go on this important training, so we’re running sessions once a month.
Oliver McGowan’s story
Oliver McGowan was just 18 years old when he died. He was a much-loved young man, who had mild autism, epilepsy and a learning disability.
Oliver died in 2016 after being given anti-psychotic medication against both his own and his parents’ wishes. His death was preventable, and not an isolated incident.
Since then, Oliver’s parents have campaigned for mandatory training for health and social care workers on how to support people with autism or a learning disability, and in 2022, the government introduced Oliver McGowan training.
This two-part training programme ensures that suitable adjustments are made to support people with a learning disability and/or autism and reduce inequality. Read more about Oliver’s Campaign.
Find out more
Our plan for enablement and accessibility supports people with disabilities to live well. We want them to experience choice, control and equality in their interactions with NCHA.
Read our Enablement And Accessibility Plan to learn more.
