Ethical Mailing

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When you place an order with us you're contributing to a socially responsible enterprise. All orders have been carefully packed and sent to you by Mail Out, a social enterprise, providing valuable training and jobs to local people with disabilities. All Mail Out's profits are reinvested so that they can continue to provide practical experience, training, training courses, NVQ and other accredited qualifications and jobs to local people with disabilities.

Established in 1991 Mail Out is part of The Camden Society, a London-wide organisation. Their emphasis is on creativity, innovation and enterprise to generate new opportunities for people with disabilities to achieve greater equality. With an emphasis on human rights, they maintain a person-centred perspective in everything they do to make sure they support people to develop their lives in whatever ways they choose.

History

Founded in the London Borough of Camden in 1966 by a group of parents, the Camden Society began life as a campaigning organisation. Initially coming together to offer each other emotional and practical support, the Camden parents began to campaign for a more inclusive society for people with learning disabilities.

At that time, children with learning disabilities were often sent away from their families, to be 'cared for' in long-stay institutions, sometimes for life. Others were excluded from the education system and were isolated from their communities. A number of reports and books had highlighted the emotional and social impoverishment, and the denial of the civil liberties, of children in institutions across Britain.

The 1970 Education Act strengthened the case for change as it enshrined the idea that all children had a right to an education. Previously, children with learning disabilities had been judged as 'ineducable'

Throughout the next two decades, the momentum towards care in the community gathered, and the Camden Society was one of the first organisations to bring people home from long-stay institutions.

The effect on people's lives cannot be overestimated. As Carol who lived in St Lawrence's Hospital for 30 years says:

"I'm telling you that place was like a prison. You could not do what you wanted... You were not allowed to choose what you want to eat. If you didn't eat up you were given a sop like a baby, a milk sop. You had to work whether you wanted to or not. Because otherwise you'd lose everything, no pleasures, nothing. You had to keep your hair tidy or they'd cut it, into a fringe... That's if you were ‘in disgrace'."

Currently only 10% of people with a learning disability are in paid employment as they continue to experience negative discrimination from employers, low expectations from staff, and a lack of opportunity to train for, and enter jobs.

The health needs of many people are left unmet whilst the choice to live independently in housing that meets people's needs, culture and lifestyle is too often non-existent.

Most people with learning disabilities continue to spend their days in segregated, Government-funded day centres or attend colleges, enrolling onto the same courses year after year, with little support to progress.

The hospitals and segregation have largely gone but until all people with disabilities have the support and freedom to develop their lives in whatever ways they choose, the Camden Society's work will continue.