Co-Delivering Oliver McGowan Training

Self-Advocates from the Hampshire Learning Disability Partnership have been working alongside the Learning and Development Team at Hampshire County Council to co-deliver the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. This training is part of a national initiative to improve understanding and support for people with learning disabilities and autistic people across health and social care.

After completing the ‘train the trainer’ programme, Self-Advocates now co-deliver the training sessions across Hampshire. Their involvement brings lived experience directly into the learning environment, helping to create powerful, engaging sessions that leave a lasting impact on participants.

The co-delivery approach has empowered Self-Advocates to share their stories and experiences, while also helping staff to better understand the importance of inclusive, person-centred practice. Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting how valuable it was to hear directly from people with lived experience.

One participant shared:

I was really inspired by J and just what he achieves - it was really interesting hearing from him.

Another commented:

Really enjoyed listening to A’s first-hand experiences - it made me think.

A member of the Learning and Development Team reflected:

They were both really great. They delivered their sections really well and answered all the questions they were asked. I couldn’t be happier with the first delivery.

This co-produced approach to training is helping to build a more informed, compassionate workforce and demonstrates the value of working in partnership with people who have lived experience.

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