United Response
Encyclopedia
United Response is a top 50 charity
operating in England and Wales
, providing a range of support and services for more than 1,500 people with learning disabilities, mental health
needs or physical disabilities. It employs over 2,500 people across the organisation and has won many awards for its pioneering work since being founded in 1973.
needs and physical disabilities to take control of their lives.
Their vision is a society where disabled people are equal participants and have access to the same rights
and opportunities as everyone else.
need or help people who find it difficult to communicate by making information more accessible. The key to their success is that they work with each person to do the things they want to do, supporting them to communicate what they want.
to improve the lives of people with disabilities in society. This may mean lobbying
decision makers such as MPs
to ensure that people's voices are heard or it might mean working directly with disabled people so that they can be more directly engaged in the democratic process. United Response also work with employers to ensure that more people with learning disabilities, mental health
needs and physical disabilities get a fair opportunity to work.
Its major current campaign is Every Vote Counts (http://www.everyvotecounts.org.uk), which aims to make politics and voting accessible to people with learning disabilities. Currently, at least half a million people with learning disabilities in the UK have the right to vote but don't use it, due to low awareness of their rights and the complexity of the political system. The charity is working with people with learning disabilities and politicians to change this, so that more people vote in the 2010 election and beyond.
Excellence Awards and highly commended for their Annual Report. They also won a highly prestigious National Training Award for the investment they make in their staff.
2009 saw the charity shortlisted in the best use of the internet category in the Charity Times Awards, while it's Making Money Easier project (aimed at making the financial world more accessible to people with learning disabilities) was shortlisted in the Radar Awards.
, CBE
is president of United Response and was awarded a CBE
in 1997 for his services to young people and the hospice
movement.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
operating in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, providing a range of support and services for more than 1,500 people with learning disabilities, mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
needs or physical disabilities. It employs over 2,500 people across the organisation and has won many awards for its pioneering work since being founded in 1973.
Mission and vision
Their mission is to enable people with learning disabilities, mental healthMental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
needs and physical disabilities to take control of their lives.
Their vision is a society where disabled people are equal participants and have access to the same rights
Rights
Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
and opportunities as everyone else.
Services
The services provided depend on each person they work with. United Response can provide 24-hour support for people with profound physical needs, or just a few hours for those who need less support to live their lives. They can job coach someone into meaningful paid employment and can provide outreach support for someone with a mental healthMental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
need or help people who find it difficult to communicate by making information more accessible. The key to their success is that they work with each person to do the things they want to do, supporting them to communicate what they want.
Campaigns
In support of United Response's vision, they also campaignPolitical campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
to improve the lives of people with disabilities in society. This may mean lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
decision makers such as MPs
MPS
MPS may refer to:* Robinson List, aka Mail Preference Service, direct mail opt-out system* Malmin Palloseura, association football club from Helsinki, Finland.* Marginal propensity to save* Master Production Schedule...
to ensure that people's voices are heard or it might mean working directly with disabled people so that they can be more directly engaged in the democratic process. United Response also work with employers to ensure that more people with learning disabilities, mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
needs and physical disabilities get a fair opportunity to work.
Its major current campaign is Every Vote Counts (http://www.everyvotecounts.org.uk), which aims to make politics and voting accessible to people with learning disabilities. Currently, at least half a million people with learning disabilities in the UK have the right to vote but don't use it, due to low awareness of their rights and the complexity of the political system. The charity is working with people with learning disabilities and politicians to change this, so that more people vote in the 2010 election and beyond.
Awards
In 2008 alone, United Response were shortlisted as best employer in the Third SectorVoluntary sector
The voluntary sector or community sector is the sphere of social activity undertaken by organizations that are for non-profit and non-governmental. This sector is also called the third sector, in reference to the public sector and the private sector...
Excellence Awards and highly commended for their Annual Report. They also won a highly prestigious National Training Award for the investment they make in their staff.
2009 saw the charity shortlisted in the best use of the internet category in the Charity Times Awards, while it's Making Money Easier project (aimed at making the financial world more accessible to people with learning disabilities) was shortlisted in the Radar Awards.
Martyn Lewis, CBE
Martyn LewisMartyn Lewis (journalist)
Martyn Lewis CBE is a British television news presenter and journalist.-Early life:Lewis was born in Swansea, West Glamorgan, though was educated at the co-educational Dalriada School in Northern Ireland and graduated with a BA degree from Trinity College, Dublin. He then joined BBC Northern...
, CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
is president of United Response and was awarded a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1997 for his services to young people and the hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
movement.