Paul Williams has 40 years' experience of working with people with learning difficulties and was a founder member of the organisation "Values into Action" which campaigns on behalf of people with learning difficulties. He co-authored a book on self-advocacy and has been involved in the development of citizen advocacy in the UK. From 1991 to 2007 he was a Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Reading, where he taught working with people with learning difficulties and anti-oppressive practice. He is now retired.