Giving back the power to people with PMLD.

People with a Profound and Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD) are a marginalised group whose voices are often ignored. This is usually because they have limited or no verbal communication skills.
Often staff in services are not always trained to understand alternative methods of communication, such as facial expression, body language, Makaton, Objects of Reference, and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). People often assume that because of these barriers, people cannot be supported to involved.

Often people with PMLD have little or no input in to the choice of services they use or any involvement in consultation and decision making. This excludes them and means they are not consulted about the services they receive and how those are services shaped.

“A day in the life of” project challenges these assumptions, and empowers people with PMLD to have a real voice, through the use of multi media, film and photography.
      
We support and empower people with PMLD to capture the realities of their daily life experiences, hopes and aspirations by using a time lapsed video camera attached to their wheelchair. This charts the person’s experiences throughout the day. A written log is kept of their daily experiences to supplement the video recording.

Evidence gathered from “A day in the life of” is used to make positive changes to the person’s life. Keep looking on the website in the next couple of months and we’ll update you on the changes its brought about to people’s lives.