Member Article

Award scheme will recognise UK’s dyslexic entrepreneurs

Dyslexic entrepreneurs leading the way in UK business are set to receive recognition at the National Dyslexia Awards 2023. The awards will showcase the diverse skills and strengths of dyslexic business owners from all corners of the nation and for the first-time in the awards history, young entrepreneurs, aged 16 to 21, will also be recognised for their talents. Nominations for both categories – Entrepreneur Award (21+) and Young Entrepreneur Award (16-21) – are being sought before the June 30 deadline. Awards founder Elizabeth Wilkinson MBE, urged everyone who knows, is related to or who works with a dyslexic entrepreneur to get involved. She said: “We are excited to have an award for Young Entrepreneur this year and we hope to receive nominations from far and wide for this category. “Quite often young dyslexics show entrepreneurial skills at a young age, but it is not recognised or encouraged, so we wanted to offer the opportunity to help celebrate and shine a light on these young people, after all it’s no coincidence that so many brilliant entrepreneurs are dyslexic. “I hope our new award will inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to go on to even bigger and better things just like Jay Blades MBE, Annita Roddick, Sir Richard Branson and Jamie Oliver.” As well as recognising business entrepreneurs, the awards also shine a light on innovators, employers who are supporting dyslexics in the workplace and educators who consistently inspire and empower dyslexic students to reach for the stars. There are nine award categories for 2023 • Amazing Artist Award (18+) • Entrepreneur Award (21+) • Community Shining Star Award (20+) • Community Shining Star Award (aged 13-19) • Excellent Educator Awards • Innovation Award (18+) • Supportive Employer Award • Young Entrepreneur Award (16-21) • Learning Support Award Elizabeth, who is dyslexic herself and was recently awarded an MBE for her services to dyslexia, said the awards were about marking the achievements of dyslexic individuals, celebrating diversity in the workplace and showcasing the commitment of educators to bring about positive changes in society. “I’ve dedicated almost my entire working career to raising awareness and greater understanding of dyslexia and have had the honour of working with thousands of amazing dyslexics in that time,” said the 51-year-old from Shropshire. “These awards are about celebrating the amazing talents, skills and achievements of everyday dyslexics, as well as shining a light on supportive employers and excellent educators across the nation. “So much has been achieved to promote diversity and inclusivity in business, education and society in general but, there is still a long way to go and a lot more work to be done. “The awards focus on the positives and strengths of amazing individuals – those who are dyslexic but also those who do an excellent job teaching us and the employers who are smart enough to spot out talents and employ us.” Research suggests that one person in 10 is dyslexic. It is a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) which usually manifests mainly as a difficulty with handling language, such as phonics, short term memory and automaticity. It is caused by a difference in how the brain processes information but is unrelated to intelligence or other skills. Nominations for the 2023 Dyslexia Awards are open to the whole of the UK and the closing date for entries is June 30. To nominate someone for an award use the form here https://forms.office.com/e/1Yg4Bia4y2 or visit the website here https://theddc.org.uk/dyslexiaawards/ for more information and entry details.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Melanie Boulter .