The Big Conversation, Learning Disability

The first phase of The Big Conversation is taking place this autumn and winter and is focussed on empowering people with a learning disability to share their experiences and views. The Isle of Wight Council is updating its Learning Disability Strategy and has asked Involving People to find out what is working well and what people want and need to improve their well-being.

Trained conversationalists will have interactions with people all over the Island in situations that work best for them and where they feel safe and comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. The Big Conversation is about positivity and co-production, and the aim of this strand is:

• to find out what is working well currently for people with learning disabilities and making them happy.
• to create an imaginative and optimistic idea of what people would like to help improve their well-being in the future. 

People will be able to share their thoughts and experiences through spoken conversations, arts and crafts, writing and drawing, signs and symbols or any form of expression that they feel comfortable using.

We hope that by meeting with people in places where they feel safe and comfortable, we will be able to learn about their true ideas and feelings and find out what really matters to them. This information will be used to help to create a shared vision of what people want and need to enable them to have a happy, healthy life. 

Once we have gathered all the information and ideas that people provide us with, we will share it anonymously with the council so that they can use it to develop their Happy, Healthy, Lives Strategy.

We will also share it back to people and communities on the Island.

Getting involved

We’d love you to get involved and support us please, contact us to find out more.