The annual Leaders’ List is run in partnership with Dimensions, Learning Disability England and VODG who created it to celebrate achievements of autistic people and people with learning disabilities
In a society where over 75% of people with learning disabilities or autism confess that they feel forgotten, the annual Leaders’ List has never been more important.
This trailblazing initiative by Dimensions, one of the UK’s largest not-for-profits supporting people with autism and/or learning disabilities, in partnership with Learning Disability England and VODG celebrates the extraordinary achievements of these individuals, giving them a much-needed platform to share their stories and successes.
Now in its fifth year, the Leaders’ List helps ensure people with learning disabilities and autism are recognised and equally represented. It provides individuals with a platform to share their stories on the national stage and will not only help dispel negative misconceptions about what these people are able to achieve, but also help to empower other people, both with and without disabilities, to celebrate the exceptional contributions they have made to their lives and communities.
Past Leaders include Reuben Reuter (a Channel 4 News correspondent and actor with Down’s Syndrome) and Dan Pepper (a Team GB Paralympian who presented the BBC programme ‘The Fake Paralympians’ to investigate the ban on intellectual impairment sports at the Paralympics). These winners have actively used their platforms to campaign for equal opportunities and celebrate the amazing achievements of people with learning disabilities and autism. Even the judges for this year’s List are trailblazers in their respective fields. For instance, Chloe Douds, who was a Leader in 2021, uses her experience as an individual with autism to push for greater accessibility in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly with Autistic Pride Day.
This year’s finalists have achieved some outstanding successes: from campaigning for better services for people with learning disabilities in their community, to co-founding a charity to create Picture Stories and setting up book clubs in the UK.
Winners in each of the four categories – advocacy, policy and the media; getting involved in your local communities; work and education; and sports, arts and entertainment – will be announced and celebrated in a virtual event hosted by BBC Radio 2’s Ken Bruce on 2 December.
The winners which can Dimensions website, as well as its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts where we encourage you to share your thoughts and words of congratulations using the hashtag #LDALeadersList.
With research conducted by Dimensions showing that 96% of people believe that they can learn something from people with learning disabilities and autism, the Leaders’ List is a timely reminder that we should platform these individuals and celebrate their successes.
You can view The Leader’s List at www.dimensions-uk.org/leaderslist
Follow @DimensionsUK, @LearningDisEng and @VODGmembership on social media and send your thoughts using the hashtag #LDALeadersList.
