Present in my Past: uncovering our social history

1. Present in my Past: uncovering our social history Rachel Barker, Emily Moorhouse, Vicky Ackroyd, Purple Patch Arts, Bradford Helen Atherton, School of Healthcare, University of Leeds

2. Who are we?

3. Why do the project? • Find out about our own history, the history of Down syndrome and people with learning disabilities • To help those supporting people with learning disabilities understand them better • This includes: family, friends, social workers, other people with learning disabilities, EVERYONE!

4. What did we look at? • Week 1 – Prehistory and ancient civilisations • Week 2 – Biblical times to Early Modern Britain • Week 3 – Eugenics and the danger of people with learning disabilities • Week 4/5 – Life in an institution • Week 6/7 – The road to an ordinary life

5. How we did it? • Internet research • Explored the archives of Meanwood Park Hospital in Leeds • Interviewed a learning disability nurse who had worked at Meanwood Park • Took a road trip to the Langdon Down Centre

6. Recording our findings

7. Making the animation

8. What we enjoyed • Doing research about the olden days • Meeting interesting people • Learning new skills • Going on trips!

9. What we found Difficult • Doing research about Hitler • Learning about the asylums • Hearing that some people today don’t value those with learning disabilities

10. WHAT NEXT? • Presentations at the Open University and the Positive Choices student nursing conference • Nominees for ‘Team of the Year’ at The Tenfold Awards • Becoming ‘Researchers’ • Using our new skills to do an oral history project

11. Any questions?