Praise for first speech

A social worker praised the positive effect the conference had
on her client.

Richard Hamilton, from Liverpool, had never spoken in public.
But the 19-year-old decided to join the people with learning
difficulties who took to the conference stage to have their say. He
told the 150-strong audience: “We should have more conferences
together. I say thank you to People First people.”

His social worker said later: “That is the first time in his
life that he has spoken in public. He is very shy and lacks a lot
of confidence. Richard likes to spend all his time with staff, but
during the conference he has spent it with other people with
learning difficulties.

“He seems like a different person. He just seems to be much more
confident.”