We are pleased to launch the Activities Toolkit, a resource comprising 80 practical and meaningful activities for people with learning disabilities to do individually, with their peers, and with people and organisations who support them. The toolkit has been co-designed and tested in collaboration with People First Dorset through a project funded by a University of Southampton ESRC Impact Acceleration Award.

We worked closely with a core group of People First Dorset members to generate ideas and discuss content and design options. As the start of the project coincided with the first lockdown of the ongoing Covid pandemic, we have had to do all our collaboration work online, using Zoom meetings and WhatsApp messaging, and sharing work in progress by post. Working in groups and individually with staff support, our co-designers and other People First Dorset members also trialled prototype resources and provided feedback to shape the final designs.

Alongside the online resource, we have produced physical packs of the toolkit to send out to disability organisations around the country.