RELATIONSHIPS and intimacy workshops will be run by a charity to teach people with learning disabilities about healthy relationships, both romantic and friendships.

Guideposts will be tackling problems such as internet safety, online dating, cyber bullying, as well as what to do if you encounter a negative relationship.

Joanna Mowat, learning disabilities trainer at Guideposts, said: “There’s a lot of lonely people out there who really want to meet other people in the learning disability community.

“All they want is to have someone to love and someone who loves them.

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“People with learning disabilities have as much right as everyone else to healthy fulfilling relationships including a sex life.

“At Guideposts we want the learning disability community to be more knowledgeable and educated on healthy relationships and on sexual health.

“People with learning disabilities have less opportunities and access to sex and relationship education.

“They often miss out when the education is being delivered in schools because they are not considered to be at the right level developmentally.

“Lots live with their parents or carers, and just like you or me they may not feel comfortable asking a parent about sex while their peers may not know the answer.”

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Because of this, the workshops will also cover sex education in the traditional sense.

The sessions will use appropriate language and help participants identify offensive words as well as what is appropriate when it comes to sexual behaviours.

However, rather than this being in a classroom setting, attendees will learn through games and discussion.

The workshops are designed to to be open spaces where people can feel safe and free to ask questions.

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Ms Mowat added: “The learning disability community use Facebook and internet dating sites a lot.

“Many will be proactive in trying to find a relationship but may not be doing it in the safest way because they haven’t been given the tools to protect themselves online.

“To educate on relationships, we will skill the participants up so that they are more capable of protecting themselves against abuse.”

The relationship and intimacy workshops are open to anyone over the age of 18, with a mild to moderate learning disability or autism.

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There are eight sessions, starting tomorrow<<4 March>> between 9.30am to 11.30am at Langdale Hall, Witney.

The workshops will cover: different types of relationships; communication; healthy and unhealthy relationships; sexual activity; consent; public and private places; safety, and cyber safety.

Participants will also be encouraged to identify their own relationship priorities and discuss these throughout the course.

Set up in Witney in 1972, Guideposts was started to meet the needs of those with learning disabilities.

To book your place on the workshops, call the Guideposts team on 01993 893565.