An example of how an organisation's history can be shared pictorially as part of an induction for new staff or directors

1. Connect in the North says that -
People with learning difficulties should
live like anyone else
People should be kind to each
other
All people should be treated
with respect
We support each other to speak up
and change things
People with learning difficulties
should have control over their own
lives
People with learning difficulties must
get the support they need

2. Connect in the North wants to -
Improve things for people with
learning difficulties
•We provide training
•We support people with learning
difficulties to have choice and
control of their own lives
•We help other organisations do
things better
We do not provide support services
for people with learning difficulties

3. 1993 -1994
The Leeds Voluntary Sector Learning Disabilities Forum
organised a workshop “Changing for the Better”, to
talk about voluntary providers working together as a
coalition.
This was the start of the Leeds Coalition
The Forum’s logo

4. 1995
The Leeds Coalition was registered as a company
limited by guarantee working only in the Leeds area.
Our first logo

5. 1996
The Question Time Group
A worker was employed to involve people with learning
difficulties in checking services. The Health Authority
funded this work.
The Leeds Coalition was offered three year funding by
the National Lottery Charities Board, starting in April
1997, the largest award in West Yorkshire at that time.

6. 1997 and 1998
Your Views Matter –
About Giving Everyone the Same Chance
The “Your Views Matter” events. People with learning
difficulties helped us to write our Equal Opportunities
Policy and our complaints procedure.

7. 1999
Patricia Farrell
Patricia Farrell was employed to consult with African
Caribbean people with learning difficulties.
We ran a conference about Person Centred Planning

8. 2000
Helping Each Other
For A Better World Team
The Helping Each Other For A Better World Team (6 people
with learning difficulties) started work writing a training
pack called Making Your Days Better.
We ran our first five-day training course in Person Centred
Planning in Leeds (Tools for Inclusion).
In this year we became a registered charity.

9. 2001
In November the Leeds Coalition became Connect
in the North. We could now have people with
learning difficulties as members and work outside
Leeds.
The Government White paper “Valuing People”
helped to increase demand for Tools for Inclusion (our
5-day person centred planning course). Over the
next 3 years we got a lot of our money from training.
Our new logo

10. 2002 and 2003
The Connect Group started to meet to prepare their
representatives (with learning difficulties) for the Board
meeting.
We developed a new course Managers Making it
Happen to support organisations to be more person
centred.
The Connect Group
Durbali, Philip and Andrew

11. 2004
Team Building, Go-Karting
Cathy, Peter, Harvey and Sarah
The first year we ran Community Bridge Building training.
The Helping Each Other For A Better World Team was
videoed for a CD about research made by the Norah Fry
Research Institute.

12. 2005
Dave Hingsburger came from Canda to run
the Ethics of Touch workshop.
Sam and Michele finished their report on
person centred planning in Bradford and
Leeds -Did it Work for You?
We wrote Including the Excluded - a guide to
providing further education for people with
learning difficulties and complex health needs.
We ran Staff You Choose twice
The launch of Including the Excluded

13. 2006
We started planning to change our rules so that
only people with learning difficulties could be on
the Board.
We started work on person centred planning in
Wakefield.
The Connect Group

14. 2007
We had a big Planning day in August
We agreed we wanted to be a
Centre for Inclusive Living, controlled by
people with learning difficulties

15. 2009
In January our members voted.
They voted for people with learning
difficulties to control Connect in the
North.
Our first Annual General Meeting with
people with learning difficulties in
control.

16. 2009
The Lawnmowers did Heroic Feets in June
The Beathovens and the Firestone Rock Band
played at our Annual General Meeting

17. 2010
We helped to set up the Outsiders
At our Annual General Meeting people shared
what they are proud about

18. 2011
We had a Planning Party.
This gave members a chance to decide what
Connect in the North should try to do

19. 2012
We had an event to celebrate people with
learning difficulties being proud