The FBU Lifelong Learning project has made use of its support through the Union Learning Fund to improve lives of families facing discrimination due to learning disabilities by building a partnership with a local charity.

In 2016 in Northumberland the FBU Learning Team through their Learning Centre Manager Claire Weallens established a ground-breaking partnership with Calmer Therapy, a new local not for profit agency run by Donna Swan.

Both ladies had experienced the problems and blocks that society had thrown up towards their children on the Autistic spectrum, and both were determined that this would soon become a thing of the past. The group had developed a support network and were improving education, activities and assistance for more and more families and FBU Learning was able to offer courses to compliment the process.

The following year Ian Dick, the local project support organiser, enrolled over 50 Calmer Therapy members on courses including the then new Understanding Autism Level 2 Course and this was repeated and expanded in the following years.

Ian said:

We were very aware that our new course members faced daily challenges in managing time and family life in areas where structure and routine were and are very important so we are able to tailor support to individuals, parents and whole families involved in the planning of life care and choices for this wide ranging group of people.“

The courses stimulated discussion and were soon adopted by extended family and friends of the group in an all-encompassing care and education package. By 2019-20 the influence had grown to well over a 1000 families who were benefitting from courses such as Understanding Autism, Awareness of Mental Health Problems, Working with individuals with Learning Disabilities, Understanding Dyslexia and Specific Learning Difficulties and Nutrition and Health.

In other exciting developments the Organisation moved into new premises at the Old Library in Guide Post, Northumberland, enabling them to establish a base for their activities. In September Ian joined Calmer Therapy Runners in the Great North Run to help raise much needed funds for the Group.

Jac Moody is one of the parents who has benefited from the free training offered through the FBU Lifelong Learning project.

Jac said:

For most of our children with hidden disabilities such as autism and ADHD the biggest barriers in life will be the ignorance of other people. High quality learning for parents, public servants, and all members of the community is so important to improve the lives of our most vulnerable children.”

Adult learning is so important. As parents of a child with autism, it was most useful for both my husband and I to do the training in autism course made available via the FBU and Calmer Therapy. There was so much encouragement and support too. The very best kind of training.”

My husband said it was great to be able to learn at home in his own time and at his own pace after he got home from work. So often learning about how to support our children with disabilities is only available during the working day.”

Ian said:

One of the most exciting and fulfilling aspects of working with unionlearn through FBU Lifelong Learning is the opportunity to improve the lives in areas of society where previously there has been stigma and a lack of knowledge of the problems that families face.”

This has been the case in the area around the Autism spectrum and in the Learning disability and difficulty field. In past years people on the Autism spectrum or with particular learning difficulties such as Dyslexia and Learning disabilities have been marginalised and rejected by “mainstream” society.”