Page 12 - Community Living Magazine 32 - 2

interview
a determined advocate

Jackie Downer MBE has spent much of her life supporting other people with learning disabilities, as
an advocate and through working for People First. She tells seán Kelly about being strong, the
importance of work and setting examples to make integration normal

ackie downer’s commitment to The way she was wringing my neck … She She also works as a childcare assistant
change is well caught in her never meant to wring my neck. I said she’s but she is disappointed that she lost her
Jquestions: “Are we really making a got a right to be here like anybody else. Access to Work support. “They took away
difference? How do we know? What can She just communicates in a different way.” the money. It was horrible to lose the
we do to do better?” Downer went on to work for People First support. What did I do?”
Despite these comments – quoted on and other advocacy groups then became Her worker explains that her earnings
the website of learning disability training a national self-advocate and consultant. did not meet the threshold and that she
and development agency Paradigm – As a black woman with learning had been receiving support for nearly 20
Downer is modest. “I describe myself as disabilities, she has had to be strong: “I years. “But what can I do?” says Downer,
an OK person, being nice to people, being have tried to be strong but I was working “It’s not my money.”
fair, and trying to help people with for an organisation and they were not
learning disabilities in the community, and very nice. Some workers are not nice and
other people as well. Trying to change the it can affect you. “ I see people going
support for people with learning “I found some strength to carry on out in the community
disabilities. I am an advocate. I’ve been because now I am working for other
doing it for many years now – 20 years.” organisations. They are giving me a more, doing activities and
She is accompanied by a support worker, chance to say I can work and I can do working. We never used
who says: “you’ve been doing it since you things – like working for Unicorn Theatre
were aware of the need to change things.” and doing childcare. Working makes the to do that
Downer remembers becoming aware of difference in people’s lives. It has ”
the need for change at an early stage. “I definitely made a difference in my life.”
remember going to college in Lewisham Her support worker highlights that Her other work includes coauthoring
and this person had learning disabilities Downer was the first person with learning Books Beyond Words publications such as
and I was trying to support her and she disabilities employed by Unicorn Theatre Speaking Up For Myself and Keeping
was just holding my neck. I thought she and this set a trend – they have employed Healthy Down Below and she is working
was going to wring my neck off. others since. on a new book with them. She finds Books
“And I realised that people with learning Downer grins: “I am so happy. We have Beyond Words are good to work with:
disabilities have got a right to do what people with Down’s syndrome. All kinds of “They involve people with learning
they can do. She couldn’t use verbal people work there. It is people with learning disabilities from day one.”
communication … but she could disabilities and people without. We are Downer is not doing any other work
communicate in her own different way. mixed. And the public can see that.” with or for people with learning
disabilities at the moment. “I am not in
the movement like I used to be. The work
is not there. And I am not pushing myself
like I used to. Things change,” she says,
before adding: “I am doing other things. I
am a childcare assistant. The person
believed in me and gave me a job.”

awards
Downer has received some major
recognition for her work, including an
MBE, awarded for “supporting people
with learning disabilities in London”. She
also has lifetime membership of Learning
Disability England which similarly
recognised her outstanding work.
“yes I was happy with that,” she says
and then adds, with her usual modesty, “I
was just being myself, being Jackie, and Seán Kelly/www.seankellyphotos.com
campaigning for people with learning
disabilities.”
Does she thinks things are getting better
Downer was given lifetime membership of Learning Disability England for her outstanding work or worse for people with learning

12 Vol 32 No 2 | Winter 2018 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk