Sams a young man with learning disabilities living in Greenwich talks about whats important to him

this computer. I forget it does that. So Hi, Sam. Just to check before we start with this, um, interview, you're happy to be recorded today

Yes, I am. Yeah. And you're happy for the recording to be used as part of the Greenwich Day opportunities work? Yes

I'm fine with that. Brilliant. That's great

Thank you, Sam. So I'm just going to get you to start Sam by saying a little bit about yourself and who you are, and yeah. Yeah

Hello. My name is, um, Bolton. I am 21 years old, and I live in, um I am went to, um Deans field for primary school and, uh, stationed at Academy for secondary school, sixth form

Um, you know, after, um, couple of years looking for work. I've eventually secured a job as a quality checker for a green, Um, only a bit of training at the moment, but I'll be, uh, checking services to see if they are accessible to people with learning disabilities. Probably as soon as all instructions would end

Do you enjoy your work, Sam? Um, yes, I do, actually. Yeah. Are there any other things that you would like to do or is this Is this, like, the job that you really you really want to do? Um, I would ideally like to get into insurance, but I I'm happy with where I'm at in the moment

Yeah, that's that's good. Um, and And what? What sort of things do you do as a quality checker? Um, I think like, um, that's, um, sending out questionnaire to getting a input. Yeah

What what other things do you do then? In in the day? Sam, What other Do you have any hobbies or interests that you do? Oh, I do have lots of hobbies. Um, rock music. Um, hiking, camping, cooking, uh, bigger paying wall gaming

Um, films. Um, great. Be reading and, um, trying out new activities

What sort of new activities do you like to try? Um, in a couple of a couple of weeks back. I did, um, indoor skydiving. Was that fun? Yeah, it was

Yeah, I I did that once, quite a long time ago. Now, when my eldest is, he's now nearly 17. Actually, I think he was four

When? When I did that. So, yes, it's quite a long time ago, but yeah. Did you fly right to the top of the tunnel

Oh, yes, I did. Yeah. Yeah

It's quite powerful, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And And what? What? What sort of other things? What? When? When you're out and about Sam doing, you know, doing your hobbies and activities and stuff

Do you do that? Do you do that on your own? Do you do that independently, or do you have support? Or, um um I usually, um, do that with my dad and, uh, sometimes with my brother as well. And sometimes my uncle comes on all as well. Do you have? Do you have? Do you have friends that you go and do activities with Sam? Um, um, not in the moment, but I hope to be doing some, um, at some point

Just been a bit busy lately. At the moment. Yeah

Do you think the coronavirus is has made a difference as well. To be able to see people that, you know, um, it's definitely made me more of a desire to see them again. Yeah

Yeah, and it's been a hard it's been It's been a tough year, hasn't it? So, Yeah, I I've never been, uh, using um, public transport rate. Really? Since the pandemic. Um, is that something that you did a lot before? Sam? Um, yeah, I I I use public transport quite a bit

And you do that again. Do you do that by yourself? Do you Do you get on the bus or the train or Yeah, I think, but But on public transport, by myself. Yeah

Yeah. And what, Where? What sorts of places do you like to go when you can get on the public transport? Um, when the, um I i in around London That pro. It's mainly, um, So I'm going to concerts or going or then going to interviews I use public transport for Yeah

So where do you go to concerts? Um um, couple of venues that are popular, popular. The venues near 02, uh, one called the round house, which I think is, uh, the way are you couple of times the atmosphere. Apollo

Wow. So they're good venues. Yeah, yeah, I know

I know. I I've never been in the 02 arena, but I have been to the roundhouse a long, long time ago. I used to live in London when I was a teenager, so I lived over in battery, so I I know

I know. Bits and bobs of it reasonably, reasonably. Well, um, I like any excuse to come back to London for me

I love it. It's a good city. It's a good city

So, Sam, are there any things that you really want to talk about yourself? You know, anything you want to tell me? Um, or yeah. How's it been? How? What? What have you enjoyed about being part of the, um, challenge team? Um, not that there's a chance to, uh, make a difference for people like me. And why is that important? Um, this the subs

Some people have, uh, things, uh, we can't do it. It some things so they get left behind. And I'm just, um Well, mate, make our voices heard that our opinions do matter, and, uh, we can do some things that we have

OK, go. Go on, Sam. Sorry

Carry on. Carry on. You can do that

Maybe some. Maybe some reasonable adjustments. Yeah, one, um, interview I attended via sim

I didn't get the role, but it's not because, um um I didn't do anything wrong because, um I want some more experience. And the reason why I didn't, like, quite fail in the interview was, um, asked for reasonable adjustments beforehand. Such as, uh, um, asking for the questions in advance

And did they? Were they happy to do that for you? Oh, yeah, they were. Yeah. And that makes a big difference

Does it? To you? Yeah, it certainly made a difference. Yeah, it definitely. It definitely helped me in getting the quality check job

That's that's good. That's that's just it. It might not seem like a big thing to a lot of people, but it But it does

It does make a difference, doesn't it? Yeah. Yeah. And you You said, Sam that, um that that that you feel that people like yourself get left behind

How does that make you feel? When when you don't think people are listening to to you or it does make me feel frustrated. Hm. And And why do you think? Why do you feel frustrated? Um, and they're not really considering my, uh, feelings and thoughts and needs

And what do you think people could do differently so that you didn't feel frustrated? Um and, um, probably uh, listen more and, uh, fully take on what I say. And also, I think for me to, uh, probably speak up a bit more as well. Yeah, I'm getting better at it, but and sometimes I still need to do that

I was gonna say Is Is that is that hard to speak up? Um, I suppose Well, it is a bit especially in regards to, um, what I'm feeling, but I'm getting better at it. What? What's helping you to get better at it? Do you think it's just that you are speaking up more? Yes, that's right. Yeah

And do you think there's some is? Is there anything that people could do to help? You'd be able to speak up more? Um hm. Um, maybe not the other people, but, I mean, just probably to remind myself, um, that in the fact that there aren't any rules to, um um but what now you speak? Hm. That's really important, isn't it? So it's It's that it's you in in a sense, isn't it having the confidence to know that you can say what is important to you and what matters? Yeah

And how does it feel when you can say what matters and what's important to you. Um um, being like a great, like weight lifted off my shoulders, you know what I mean? Mm. I do

I do. And do you feel that people are listening more then if you're speaking up more? Um, yes, yes, I do. Do do Do you have any? And you might not

So that's OK, but do you have any, um, stories or examples of when you've spoken up and people have listened and something has changed? Um, I don't have any examples, I'm afraid. No, it's fine. It's hard to remember

They probably are, but it's just it's just remembering them. That was quite a difficult question for for me to for me to put you on the spot with, so that that's OK. Yeah

Yeah. So what? What are the things that do really matter to you, Sam? Um, I suppose, um, family and friends, Um, my hobbies, Um, my health and well being and my job. So what's what's important about your health and well being? Um, and just, um, wanna be, um, fit as health and healthy as possible

And what do you do to help stay fit and healthy. Um, at the moment, I've been going to the gym quite a lot, so that helps. Hm

Is that Is the gym open again? Now? Um, yes, yes. Well, it is closer to where I live. Yeah, it was it closed during the, um, lockdowns

I would think so. Yeah. Yeah

So and do you go to the gym by yourself or or do you go with some friends? Um, sometimes with my dad, Um, sometimes by myself. And do they say it depends on if he's if he's busy or not? And do they do they know you at the gym? Um, I would think so. Yeah

Do Do they support you? If you need. Are they Are they around to help or give you advice or make sure everything's OK for you at the gym? I would think so, but I But I'm I kind of have a fairly fair understanding what's going on. And my dad, my dad helps me as well

So you don't You don't need a lot of support when you're there because you know what you're doing. Yeah. Yeah, pretty much

Yeah, that's that's good. Um, anything else you'd like to, um, talk about Well, we've got the opportunity. Um Well, I suppose, um um, with, um, health service, it will be nice to, um, remind myself to, um, ask for a reasonable adjustment

It's like for, um, job applications. That's a really interesting one, Sam. And and maybe, um, that that's something that is that is that something that advocacy help you with as as? Well, well, it helped me to understand that they are well, and they are reasonable adjustments

So you know what you can ask for. And, um, because I I I think that in all job interviews, really, people should be sent the questions beforehand. I've done that when I've interviewed people sent them, sent them the questions beforehand

Um, because you want to get the best out of people. Really not, Um, not not just put them on the spot or make them feel more stressed, so yeah, yeah. Yeah

And, um what what would you What do you What? What? What do you want to see change as part of this 100 day challenge work? Um, um um I suppose, um, there's quite a lot of things, actually, Um, I suppose, um for them to, um, listen to the input of, like, family and friends because they have their best interests at heart. I mean, my dad, my mom and my brothers, my best interests at heart always. Yeah

Might be to, um, for them to, uh, try out like, um, adventurous activities. Because, uh, um because it probably increased their of confidence, like it? Definitely. Um, increase my self confidence

I'm not doing, like camping, hiking, but trying out new things. Like, of course, indoor skydiving and scuba diving. And yeah, also, um, uh, health services and job applications wanted to make sure that that ask for reasonable adjustments because it will help them

And at working, having a job is really important to you. Why? Why is it important? Um, I suppose, um, as well as making new friends there also, um, enables me to, um me with shit in turn enables me to like I I feel my hobby is well, so it helps you be more independent, does it and do do things that you want to do. Um, yeah, he does

Yeah, he does a bit. Yeah. Yeah

And what things do you think? Um, the organisations that support people with learning disabilities. Um, should be doing differently. Hm

Oh, that's a That's a big one, isn't it? What? Yeah. What? So, um, I suppose what? What do you think? Um, so there's lots of people involved in the 100 day challenge work from lots of different places. So there's people from the council, and there's people from health

And there's people from the leisure services and and and lots of different places. And if if you were to say to some of those people, actually, can you please do this differently? Or if you did things, um, in in this way, it would help me more. Does that? Does that make sense? Yeah, Well, I suppose I'm I'm always like, uh uh, more of a visual learner

Like an auditory and kinesthetic. So, like, like, following up with any written is written stuff would be good. And like, um, no, like, well, I think no, like or or band

Uh, that'll be good as well. I anticipate my delay in response. And also say my name 1st

1st, if they want to talk to me, Yeah, they're really good tips. Um, really important. And And you you said something there about giving you time to respond to things that that's really important to you

Yes, it is. Yeah. Yeah, because you just need a bit of time to think

And yeah, it'll be easy if I add the questions in advance, but if I don't there Is that delay. Yeah, Yeah, and that's that's fine. That's that's really important for people to know

Um, and And just to give you a little bit of time to To think to think through what? What you want to respond with Because we don't always know what some of the questions are. I suppose, um, might maybe have difficulty understanding the question itself. Yeah

And you need to be able to say, I don't understand that. And for people to Yeah. Yeah, because often I don't understand

Um, and and lots of other people don't understand, but we're not very good. Sometimes, as people are saying, Actually, can you can you say that a different way? Or can you reword the question because I'm not understanding. Yeah, yeah, yeah

So yeah. No, it was really, um really enjoyed talking to you, Sam. Um, lots of really good stuff that you've you've shared with me

Uh, is there anything else? Um, before we do draw to a close, um, and then go on. Yeah. Let let's let's let's finish this bit

And then I'll stop the recording. And then and then we can chat again. Um, if if there's anything else, but is there anything else you want to stay before? Say before I stop the recording? Um, I'll say, um, if anyone, um, will use, um, public transport

Um, maybe, um, noting down like the route or stops may help. Uh, I may not eat. I'm o I'm OK with not you doing that because I have a strong memory

But I appreciate that that some people may not have that, so that might help. Yeah, that is really helpful. Yeah

So did did somebody teach you to use public transport? Sam, did you get some support to be able to do that, or have you always just been able to, um, with this strong memory, I've always had it. I've always had a strong good, a good, strong memory. Um um, with public transport, they have a little help with family

But over time, I've got more used to it. So it's having the confidence to be able to just go off and get get on the bus or the train or yeah, Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's good

Um thank you, Sam. I'm gonna stop. I'll stop the I'll stop the recording

.