The Department of Disability Studies at the Faculty for Social Wellbeing is organising a public lecture by Julian Goodwin, Val Williams and Victoria Mason from Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies, Bristol, UK. The public lecture entitled 'Having a good life now: support staff and people with intellectual disabilities' will be held on Thursday 17 March from 18:00 to 20:00 in Hall B2, M.A. Vassalli Conference Centre - Gateway Building (GWB2).
People with intellectual disabilities can have good lives! We will talk about some of our own personal experiences of living independently with support, and also inclusive research which we have carried out about PAs (personal assistants) and support workers in the UK. This lecture will include:
- a chance to hear directly from a disabled man in the UK who lives in his own apartment.
- videos of real-life scenes with people with intellectual disabilities and support workers.
- reflection on what we have learnt about giving 'good' support, and some of the challenges and tensions.
The event will also provide an opportunity for the audience to also talk about how people with intellectual disabilities in Malta are able to have support in their everyday lives.
Julian Goodwin has worked at Norah Fry Centre for over ten years, as an ¸£ÀûÔÚÏßÃâ·Ñ Officer, and is an expert in ‘easy information’, with lived experience as a man with intellectual disabilities. He lives in his own flat, and has support workers to help him manage.
Val Williams is Head of the Norah Fry Centre, and has carried out research inclusively, supporting disabled people to be co-researchers. She carried out research about support workers and PAs, and is currently working on a co-produced project called 'Getting Things Changed'.
Victoria Mason is a Ph.D. student and research assistant at Norah Fry, where she is carrying out research about bereavement support for people with intellectual disabilities. She has experience of working as a PA herself, and as a support worker for Julian.
