Redefining Leadership by Championing Inclusion and Opportunity
Rachael Dodgson, Chief Executive of Dimensions, a provider of services for people with learning disabilities and autistic people, celebrates the power of recognition, peer leadership and inclusive change through the annual Leaders’ Awards.
No reader of this issue of Care Talk should need me to point out that people with learning disabilities and autistic people have some amazing gifts and abilities to share. We see it in our professional and personal lives every single day.
But stereotypes are still commonplace, with many people being primarily viewed as recipients of care and support. Such narrow perceptions reinforce barriers to inclusion and hold back society at large.
The annual Leaders’ Awards – now in its seventh year – aims to tackle this by celebrating people with learning disabilities and autistic people who are challenging stereotypes, pursuing dreams, and making the world better for themselves and others.
People like Abdul Hameed, who was told he’d never be a coach due to his disability. Since then, he’s worked as a Disability Officer and Sports Officer at two of the biggest football clubs in the world, Arsenal and Chelsea F.C.
As archer and Leader Piangfan Naksukpaiboon said, “We all need someone who believes in us, and I want to be that someone for others, which is why these awards are so important.”
Not everyone can win. But every nominee – over 1000 to date – gets a certificate. One mother told us, “…my son wasn’t a winner, but he still received a certificate. He’d never got any certificate in his life before. This meant the world to him. He laminated it and took it everywhere, showing it to everyone he met…”
Key themes of the Leaders’ Awards include peer recognition, inclusive leadership and spotlight campaigns.
I’m particularly proud that our judges are all past winners; this is an award for leaders with learning disabilities and autistic leaders, voted for by other leaders with learning disabilities and autistic leaders. There’s nothing quite like peer recognition for building self-belief. And I’m pleased that the running of the Awards is also shaped by a steering group, most of whom are past winners. Authenticity matters. I’d also like to thank Learning Disability England and VODG for their support past and present.
We live in a world that celebrates being the best. The best footballer, artist, actor. Against what benchmark, then, do we measure the contribution of someone like Samir, an inspiring member of the self-advocacy group Campaign 4 Change? Samir was a winner who didn’t let his profound and multiple learning disabilities stop him from campaigning for more changing places toilets in Brighton? Samir sadly passed away recently but his legacy lives on. The motto of the Awards – “for people taking a lead in their lives” and this, coupled with some thoughtful judging, seems to me to be a reasonable way of looking at inclusive leadership in the context of peoples’ differing gifts and abilities. We’re always open to better approaches.
Last year the Leaders Awards spotlighted the work being done by My Vote My Voice to drive up voter turnout. That campaign shone and gained extension funding for this year’s local elections. Let’s hope their good work continues.
This year our spotlight campaign is Supported Loving. It is a campaign that is particularly close to my heart as our Dimensions Council want us to focus on tackling loneliness amongst the people we support. Supported Loving champions healthy and informed sexual relationships amongst people with learning disabilities. Their resources are fabulous. Check it out – you might transform a person’s life.
Let’s work together
The Leaders Awards are all about amplifying diverse voices to make change happen in fields ranging from politics to education, work, entertainment and more. Who might you nudge into the spotlight, as we continue to build a better society together?
