Talkback Your Voice

Since our inception in 1998, we have developed a world of possibilities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Because we fundamentally believe that it’s not these individuals’ impairments that restrict their personal development, but the barriers they encounter in society. So, we continuously challenge mainstream thinking. Always working to ensure the voice of those who, all too often, remain ignored, IS HEARD.

Our mission at Talkback is driven around creating a life journey for each person we work with at whatever stage they join us and wherever they want to go. 

We are determined to remove any barriers faced by autistic people and individuals with a learning disability, by teaching them life skills so they can: embrace new opportunities; lead the fulfilling and healthy lives they want to; secure employment, both paid and voluntary; and be accepted as part of the community for what they uniquely bring.

Our aim is that every person who joins the Talkback journey will become better equipped to lead the life they want by helping them transition from each stage to the next.

What does Your Voice do?

We have supported those we work with to gain life skills. From personal life skills through to helping them influence councils and employers with insights into reasonable adjustments. We enable people to take on new activities, take on volunteer placements, complete training courses and form positive relationships within a social environment. In addition, we have prevented homelessness by supporting people to find a new home. As well as offering wellbeing courses and developed initiatives like the health passport. We also work in some sensitive areas, including bereavement, end of life, and domestic abuse. And we always advocate for meaningful change wherever we can.

Your Voice helps to GET the BEST decisions for people with learning disabilities and autistic individuals.

We want Councils, Statutory Authorities, and other commercial and not-for-profit organisations who provide services, to make the right decisions. Based on a wealth of knowledge of what is required from the people affected. Because the people we engage with do not want special treatment. They just want the same rights and chances as everyone else.

Talkback help people to build self-esteem, confidence and have more say and control over their own lives. It’s all about:

- knowing yourself better
- understanding others better
- being able to question and learn
- being able to listen
- being able to say what you think
Some groups of people often get left out. People with high individual support needs, people from different cultural backgrounds, young people and people who don’t use any services are often treated as if their voice is not important. Talkback makes sure that this doesn’t happen.

Our Your Voice services for professionals

Through our range of services and work with community groups, we gather views and experiences. Then we feed them back to Councils, the NHS, Statutory Authorities, and other organisations. Because our aim is to improve services for those that they support. Whilst promoting respect, choice, and opportunity.

Co-production and Engagement

Designed by people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Our service is rooted in the core principles of co-production laid out by the Social Care Institute for Excellence. Equality, diversity, accessibility, and reciprocity.

Experts by Experience

This service is provided by a professionally trained team of people with learning disabilities and autistic people. So, they use their lived experiences to educate others. That can be a review of a hospital, a leisure centre, a shop, a hotel or a sports or social venue, amongst others.

Autism Insights Training

We use the lived experiences of our members and team to educate people on the challenges faced by those people who have learning disabilities and autism. As well as the practical changes they can make to eradicate barriers to inclusion.