Learning Disability / or Difficulty
Learning Disability/ or Difficulty: A learning disability constitutes a condition which affects learning and intelligence across all areas of life. It is a condition which creates an obstacle to a specific form of learning but does not affect the overall IQ of an individual.
Learning disabilities usually fall within four broad categories:
Spoken language: listening and speaking.
Written language: reading, writing, and spelling.
Arithmetic: calculation and concepts.
Reasoning: organisation and integration of ideas and thoughts.
Top tips
Remember everybody is unique so take the time to ask the person you're communicating with what works best for them.
Consider using Makaton: This is a communication programme that uses signs and symbols, giving an individual different options when communicating.
In person: Many people with a learning disability prefer face to face and one -to -one communication.
In writing: Use bigger text and bullet points, keeping writing to a minimum. Avoid too much colour on the page as can contribute to confusion or distraction.
On the phone: Speak slowly and clearly, using simple and accessible vocabulary.
Scenario
Background: Grace was recruited as a volunteer after she retired from a part-time position with the local authority.
Volunteer Role: Community Visitor, Shopping Angel, Community Car Scheme Driver
Volunteer Recruitment: The recruitment process at the time comprised of a one-to-one induction using a PowerPoint presentation and accompanying handbook as an aide memoir with additional information. At the time Grace expressed an interest in a number of volunteering roles.
Support provided to the volunteer: Grace’s volunteering interests have meant she has dealt with at least two project coordinators: the Car Scheme and Shopping Coordinator and the Respite and Community Visiting Coordinator. It became apparent over time that Grace was struggling with certain tasks about which she had originally been very enthusiastic. After she failed to respond to email communication it became clear that her preference was for verbal communication, either by phone or in-person visits to the office. We also noticed she declined to shop for clients herself (having been given a printed list) but was perfectly happy to work as a Shopping Angel, collecting the client from their homes, accompanying them to the supermarket and enabling them do their own shopping before returning them home. It was also noticed that Grace struggled with some addresses in the local town and declined driving jobs to locations within newbuild areas not familiar to her. Grace became agitated when presented with some of these situations.
The project coordinators were able to confer and share their observations, realising that there was probably an issue with literacy/dyslexia that had been undisclosed. They were then able to proceed with offering Grace tasks that were straightforward and not requiring written information.
Impact:
The person-centred and sensitive approach by the scheme coordinators has enabled Grace to pursue her volunteering interests without explicitly asking or challenging her further on what she is comfortable with undertaking.
She has chosen not to discuss this, and we have no need to know more. The reason for declining written information ‘I’ve forgotten my glasses’ for instance has been enough for us to understand her limitation. She has tremendous energy and enthusiasm for her roles and she is a much-valued volunteer.