On 20-23 October, IPPF Member Association of UK, fpa facilitated a workshop on providing access to sexuality and relationships education to people with learning disabilities.

Trainers from fpa in Northern Ireland, Georgie Mc Cormick, with more than 20 years’ experience in working with people with learning disabilities and Mark Breslin, who runs the project "Just Ask", shared their experience, tools and practical exercises with colleagues from IPPF member associations of Israel, Denmark, Latvia and FYR Macedonia. Resources developed by fpa include the "All about us" and "Talking together" handbooks with practical exercises and a user-friendly interactive CD-ROM for people with learning disabilities/difficulties which explores personal development and knowledge around sex, sexuality and relationships, as a self-study learning tool or with support from a parent, carer or professional. An online demo and more information about these tools can be found via: http://www.fpa.org.uk/Shop/Learningdisabilitiespublications

Sexuality and relationships education and interventions for people with learning disabilities may take different forms and should be tailored to each person’s specific needs and circumstances. These practical resources offered mainly focus on building the capacity of people with learning disabilities to take autonomous decisions about their lives and their sex life in particular. The core elements of effective learning are to help people with learning disabilities to understand what is meant by: personal and social boundaries, appropriate behaviours, public and private space and giving and asking consent to and from others to enter their personal space. An environment that supports the right of people with a learning disability to have personal and sexual relationships, to information and education, to privacy and dignity, to make choices about how they live their lives and to be treated as adults or children depending on their age is crucial. Therefore, an important aspect of the work also requires training for professionals, parents, etc; by helping them find the correct balance between protecting and helping people with learning disabilities to access an independent life as much as possible.

By sharing best practices, IPPF European Network aims to build the capacity of its member associations to reach groups that are yet unreached or difficult to reach – such as people with learning disabilities.

IPPF Member Association who attended the training drew up action plans to follow-up on their workshop activities in their own countries.

In 2008, IPPF EN launched a broad initiative with the aim to enhance the capacity of Member Associations to implement proven good practice programmes and tools to address difficult to reach, or as yet unreached groups. The Regional Office began by mapping out which Member Associations offered best practice programmes and matched these with the needs of other Member Associations willing to improve their work on certain topics. Several participants at IPPF EN’s Regional Management Meeting were invited to showcase the work of their organizations during a ‘best practices market’. The Member Association of the UK, fpa, received support for its project on improving access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for people with learning disabilities, to be replicated in two other countries.