Small, local and strong; supporting people with a learning disability and their families.

Mission Statement
We believe that everyone with a learning disability, young and old, whatever their age, nature and severity of their disability should be empowered through appropriate support to exercise their right to choice, opportunity and respect. We also believe that support for the families of people with a learning disability is vital to achieving our vision.

Southampton Mencap will aim to:

1. Directly provide social activities for people of all ages with a learning disability which maximise their opportunity for inclusion in a meaningful manner.
2. Respond to the needs of families of people with a learning disability in a flexible and appropriate manner and enable them to have short breaks from their caring responsibilities.
3. Deliver timely, appropriate and up-to-date information and advice on a range of issues relating to learning disability.
4. Directly provide social activities for people of all ages with a learning disability which maximise their opportunity for inclusion in a meaningful manner.
5. Respond to the needs of families of people with a learning disability in a flexible and appropriate manner and enable them to have short breaks from their caring responsibilities.
6. Deliver timely, appropriate and up-to-date information and advice on a range of issues relating to learning disability.
7. Raise awareness within the City to the rights of people with learning disabilities working in partnership with other organisations with similar goals.
8. Develop an active membership of people with learning disabilities and their families that encourage participation in decision making within the organisation.
9. Represent the views of people with learning disabilities, and their families, to ensure that learning disability issues are an integral part of the City’s and Health Authority’s strategic planning.
10. Support parent groups which meet the aims and objectives of the organisation.
11. Develop projects and services which fill the gaps in provision and contribute to the aims and objectives of the organisation.
12. Generate sufficient financial resources to fund existing and new activities of the organisation
13. Be a good employer providing opportunities for professional development of staff and volunteers to ensure the delivery and maintenance of high quality services.

Definitions: Families – this will be used throughout the document to mean parents, carers and other family members living with and supporting a person with a learning disability.  It does not mean a carer receiving payment for providing care as part of employment. Inclusion – this means people with a learning disability being supported to participate in their local community in a meaningful and appropriate way, including socialising with friends of their choosing and with people without learning disabilities.