Final: DEALING WITH ILLNESS AND DISABILITY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR TRANSFORMING DISABILITIES INTO OUR BUSINESS SUPERPOWERS

Updated on October 18, 2022

Let’s focus on someone’s skills not situation. How do you be authentic yet professional? Should I work through illness? What do I say as a business owner with a disability? I need to explain how I work so I can perform at my peak. It can be hard enough navigating work and life as an entrepreneur. Not to mention the two popular buzzwords of needing to be authentic yet professional! Surely they are in conflict?! But with the right support your set-back can be your leap forward into creating a better business community for all.

The choice really is yours, primarily, whether you disclose your own disability or illness, you have a right to privacy because authenticity as a leader doesn’t have to be declaring everything. Authenticity is about being an open and ethical leader because not only can it ensure your organisation is sustainable, it can mean that you set a positive culture for your team and yourself, as professionalism is about integrity and can be individually defined by the culture you set. Authenticity and professionalism is subjective and as we finally evolve into a more inclusive world, we look at the skills that disabled entrepreneurs can offer, with a comparatively large percentage of entrepreneurs thriving with a disability. Did you Know? The UK has one of the highest rates of disabled entrepreneurs with many people starting a business because the workplace isn’t appropriate (Enterprise Times) * Many millennials search for ethical businesses to work for with purpose not pay check (Forbes) * Work as humans-to-humans rather than faceless brands just transacting with one another * Hoping for a healthier more holistic future for entrepreneurship and indeed, the workplace Entrepreneurial spirit has always been present within AD:VENTURE ambassador, Freelance Journalist and Communications professional Sophie Mei Lan, who set up a documentary and story-telling multi-media company Evoke Media Group Ltd (http://evokemediagroup.co.uk) with her film-making colleague with the dynamic support of AD:VENTURE, utilising their diverse skills to flourish in business and life.

Sophie (https://sparklecommunications), who has a range of hidden disabilities, has since worked with Channel 4 News, ITV and BBC News. In her latest blog, she shares (from a celbrious hospital bed) how she navigates a communications business, life and so-called disabilities. I would love to see a more inclusive world, where we are seen for our skills rather than labels. Let’s unlock our superpowers. The Power is in Your Hands Power as a leader is not about exerting ourselves over others, it’s knowing our own power and what is important for you and what values in which you want to build a business. For me, it’s all about maintaining your own dignity, whatever that means to you. We have the choice to choose what we want to share. It has always been important for me to be fairly open about my hidden disabilities, because ironically they have helped me to harness and hone my own success story, especially as I began to really build my profile in the media and win international enterprise, communications, digital and journalism awards. The more my personal brand accelerated, some of my more corporate-looking enterprises, merged into this brand as I represented them all as a leader, evolving into the ethical entrepreneur that I had aspired to become. That said, over time I have told my story but just parts at a time as and when i feel comfortable to do so and think it will help others. I still not choose to disclose everything. I consciously have chosen, however, that my core values in business and life are to showcase the fact that despite our challenges, we can use these to our advantage with the right support! I wanted to demonstrate that even what other entrepreneurs and clients may deem as the ultimate success such as me appearing regularly in the press, on national TV and Radio. The more I felt inclined to use my profile as a personal brand to talk about disabilities and inclusivity, because not only am I surrounded by other neurodiverse and so-called disabled entrepreneurs, the more I realised that I wanted to share about my invisible disabilities and how they have enabled me rather than disabled me.

And anyway the media thrives off powerful personal stories and it’s much easier to connect with people as humans not corporations, so ideally in terms of your own business (as long as you’re aware of any possible repercussions of sharing any personal story), it is much more powerful getting press coverage and better coverage as editorials and feature pieces rather than relying on clear adverts.

As they say Facts tell stories. How should I treat someone I am working with if they are undergoing an illness or have a disability? My own disabilities which I see as my superpowers help me in business and life and I am proud of them. But whilst I view my neurodiverse mind and even my own current physical ailments as strengths, some may still hold bias (consciously or subconsciously) and judge what tasks someone can or cannot perform. Whereas, for me personally, I find that by always managing my hurdles,I am hyper-aware of what my genius skills are (in writing, creating powerful communications content for brands which tells stories, digital training and empowering personal brands with a purpose to get heard by their desired audiences worldwide) and my own coping mechanisms with the right support. That said, I won’t pretend that everything is easy to navigate, as I candidly share on my personal blog and vlog. I can at times feel awkward when my personal world has leaked into my business communications online.

But I choose to blog and vlog openly about mental health and wellbeing and disabilities which is becoming more prevalent and even on trend in the business world. But most of all, it is part of my values as an ethical business that I am relatable and open about my diversity, to empower others thinking of building their own personal brands.

As I say in the not-so very corporate quote of Flashdance: The Musical: Take your Passion and Make it Happen! Hopefully one day, I am seen beyond a diversity champion and that we foster a truly inclusive transformation. Changing the face of work and productivity. The beauty of this challenging yet transformational period of the Pandemic, I believe, has been the fact that working has changed. What it looks like, what it involves and what it is, as it’s finally becoming more respected and a holistic future for those running businesses, leading teams and employees. That said, no one model fits all which is why it’s important for all of us to focus on how to untap someone’s strengths whether that be through agile working or flexible working or being part of a physical team or a hybrid approach. But again we return to the power of choice and working with our team as individuals because not only does this make sense to boost productivity and for everyone to perform at their peak at work but it also means that everyone feels happier, healthier and prospers.

We do however need to make a conscious effort to improve internal communication so people still feel connected. Fostering communication, empowering people and creating spaces for all to HEAR, SEE and hyper-focus on the human because: Together, one gives each other energy to live to create health for life. A quote from the international Microsystems Festival which I delivered a speech at, as a multi-platform Journalist and multi-faceted person. Microsystems are a way of transforming huge healthcare systems, breaking them down into their smallest functioning form to cultivate growth within teams and exploring solutions so that everyone’s voice is carefully heard and accepted at the metaphorical table.

Here’s How I would like us to support one another to unlock all of our superpowers. My Top Tips: We have a choice over what we share about others but most of all, we can decide how we act in the face of adversity or when you’re unsure what’s best to do. 1. Let’s change our language so it is positive and uplifting around a more inclusive and fruitful working environment for all. There’s a lot of power in language. From diversity to inclusivity, from disability to accessibility, from tick boxes to human communication, From social mobility to levelling up, From divide and rule to Kinshipa 2. Human-centered support for each other no one size fits all – see beyond someone’s hurdles respect one another’s wishes, as autonomous humans!

3. If someone does disclose an illness or disability. The worst thing we can do to entrepreneurs who are unwell is to assume it’s best NOT work with them or consider not offering them a job because we know best. Whether it be physical health and visible or they choose to disclose a mental or invisible disability or illness. Why? But you genuinely care? you don’t want to bother them, they look poorly you’re concerned?

4) So you either don’t work with them, stop contacting them or you try to turn a professional meeting into a therapy session because you want to help 5) Instead, if you’re in a position to support them in some way. Ask them if, how and what you can do to best support them? I also run a Yorkshire Families blog to help all families access the best of the region and to make online and in person activities more accessible for all especially those with disabilities.

Online we have a project called Digitally Active . One of our volunteers aka Digitally Active Dan, he has shared how he feels his only option career wise as someone on the Autistic spectrum would be to volunteer at a cafe or charity shop rather than find work digitally until he took part and helped co-create Digitally Active with his mum Julie and I – which trains people with disabilities to work as a freelancers (and hopefully one day for the project) assisting small businesses with online virtual assistance tasks from blog writing to cleaning up websites Digitally Active’s Dan writes on https://www.yorkshirefamilies.co.uk: The world as a digital entrepreneur is a good world for me as it means I can showcase my knowledge and skills of things such as: Sports blogs, using Canva to make templates and graphics, using IMovie to make videos and other knowledge and skills, and I would say I am finding my own way online with the help of my social media coach The Sparkle Coach by using my skills to the best of my ability. â€œI prefer the digital world to a workplace as the workplace would probably be too busy and too much going on for me and it wouldn’t suit me working in a garden centre or a cafe for example as they wouldn’t utilise my skills, whereas a job to do with computers or technical stuff would be much better for me. He said that his parents have had to fight for every opportunity for him including sixth form. Some famous entrepreneurs who inspire me are Richard Branson who has dyslexia and made his first million when he was 21, Lord Alan Sugar and some famous sports people who have a disability who I like or admire are:

Ellie Simmonds whose sport was swimming in the Paralympics Jamie Stead who’s taking part in the Paralympics in Tokyo after the Olympics has finished, he’ from Normanton and he plays wheelchair rugby. David Weir who took part in London Marathons despite being a wheelchair athlete Hannah Cockroft who is a wheelchair racer.

Whilst I don’t personally face as many barriers as some, as a mixed-race single mum who doesn’t have a car, works freelance from home, whilst running magazines and a city centre company based at Wakefield University Business Centre, all whilst thriving with an array of invisible disabilities and having derived from a richly diverse yet low-income background. I have definitely experienced some of the roadblocks faced by many since childhood but I am so relieved to see that we are joining together to stride forward as a sport-tive community! Not to mention a vast array of self-love and life needs from dancing to Disney films, from threaded brows to treading the earth on my running pursuits fuelled by a love of nutritious foods and fresh shakes to proper coffee and a proper brew! Whatever suits you step back inside this flourishing fountain of community spirit which is welcome to all.

You can read more from Sophie Mei Lan at https://sparklecommunications.co.uk and her Women in Business Magazine https://sparkleupnorth.com as well as a community reporter project which supports all families regardless of disability to get active across the region at https://www.yorkshirefamilies.co.uk or you can follow her @SparkleComms, @SparkleUpNorth & @YorkshireFamilies on social media.

DIGITALLY ACTIVE

Project Summary

Nature and scale of the issue

Describe the nature and scale of the vocational learning issue your project aims to address (200 words)

Digitally Active is here to support organisations with cost-effective online support whilst harnessing and coaching the digital talents of adults with a hidden Disability such as those on the Autistic Spectrum who historically have been denied life chances and recognition of the skills they have to offer and the capability to learn. Recent estimates indicate a mere 16% of autistic adults are in full-time paid employment compared with 80% of non-disabled.(2019) From basic website building to social media management and content planning, Digitally Active will provide businesses, charities and organisations with online support via our team of trained adults (who will be under professional guidance and fully supported). People with a hidden disability often have very little choice about work experience and gaining employment, so Digitally Active wants to help address this issue by offering digital training, support and real-world work experience as participants will be working for a range of businesses and organisations. As a parent of a son aged 25 on the autistic spectrum who enjoys working on computers, using social media I have not come across anything like what we are looking to offer, so this project would fill a huge void.

What is new and innovative

What is new and innovative about your project approach and how will it change the current provision for vocational learning? (200 words)

Based on personal experience the only supported route into employment currently offered is through Internships which are very rarely successful long term and tend to offer very narrow fields of learning. Our solution is an improvement and also innovative in that we will bridge seamlessly the training, leading onto the opportunity to be engaged in real life commercial work as a way of gaining the experience needed to seek future opportunities with an employer. The participants will be working in their own environment suiting their structured needs while still being connected and part of a team. Julie and Sophie who are running the project have hands-on experience of running their own small businesses as well as working for charities. They understand the challenges small business owners face as well as the current climateâ€™s impact on commercial activity and also limiting the opportunities for Adults with hidden disabilities.

Who would be the customers

Who would be the customers for your product or service? (100 words)

How is this project scalable

How is this project scalable? What is the potential for greater impact? (100 words)

ambitions for the project after UFI

What are your ambitions for the project after Ufi funding finishes? (100 words)

We hope to create a ripple effect involving an increasing number of organisations and businesses. We can pitch the skills to private companies and also teach the adults how to pitch and be part of the process of running a business. So the project is self funded eventually. Our future goals after this would be to use our existing network in neighbouring areas within Yorkshire to collaborate/partner with well established disability providers in finding suitable Trainees and suitable business/charities to potentially work with. This model could then be rolled out to other areas in the UK.

Provide a brief project timetable (100 words)

May 2021 – August: Recruiting and assessing interested candidates and run introductory workshops for interested applicants September- April: Launch 2 working groups/ cohorts half day each day to work on course (on differing days giving more opportunities) Run monthly masterclasses/workshops/conferences with experts which are designed for adults with disabilities April 2022 – Taking on more businesses as clients, evaluation of launch pad and plan going forward to be self-funded and then start the process of recruiting and assessing interested candidates and run introductory workshops for interested applicants for September start.

Who will be involved and roles

Describe who will be involved in delivering this project and explain their specific roles. (100 words)

Sophie Mei Lan – Course Leader/Facilitator Creating Project materials, planning Delivering project content which will be interactive, bespoke and use a holistic and creative approach to digital skills Social Media and PR Marketing Coaching Business Networking and Development (gaining clients) Relevant Experience below: Multi Award Winning Trained Journalist Short Film Maker, Social Media Coach Health and Dance Coach Newspaper Columnist and on-line Magazine Editor

Julie Crossfield – Project Co-ordinator Recruitment (sourcing applicants and assessing for eligibility skills Preparing relevant policy documents Supporting candidates with any additional needs Accounting and Admin tasks Relevant Experience below: 30 years experience in running a small business 3 years experience of working as an Ambassador visiting Special Needs Schools and Colleges to advice Young Adults and their Parents on opportunities to Transition. Trustee Member for a small local Charitable Organisation

Dan Crossfield – Volunteer Admin assistant Market Research Setting out timetables Helping with general admin tasks Helping with creating business digital content/social media We envisage having input from potential employers who would speak about their business and potential opportunities within their organisations and assess whether Access to Work support would need to be put in place for a settling in period

Previous experience delivering projects

What is your previous experience of delivering projects of this type? (100 words)

Stage 1: The Technology

Describe the technology

Describe the technology you are planning to develop as part of this project (100 words)

As well as the online training, one off master classes and when allowed in-person coaching. We will have an online group for skill sharing, a working website, e.g. Yorkshire Families hub and online community which we have already launched and amassed a following of more than 6K which can be used to experiment with and for people to contribute and be published in. Going forward we will collaboratively develop the site to offer community forums, an accessibility badge for businesses to acquire and a ‘finder’ to make it easier for adults with disabilities to get active in their local community.

Current status of your project

Briefly describe the current status of your project. (100 words)

Since March 2020 coinciding with the Pandemic Lockdown Dan Crossfield has been working with Sophie to trial the Project from a standing start. He has been coached from the basics through to actual commercial activity in the following areas: – Developed his own Sports Blog which he now updates on a weekly basis, he has learnt good comprehension and journalistic methods, link – https://www.facebook.com/danssportsblog – Start-up Social Media activity for small business using facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and MailChimp, link – https://mailchi.mp/dc769a6cb4ad/save-20-on-printed-banners-in-february – Writing content and publishing onto Yorkshire Families Web page Link – https://www.yorkshirefamilies.co.uk/ Dan is 25 with autism.

How will Ufi funding help

How will Ufi funding help you further develop the solution? (100 words)

To achieve the move from the testing phase onto a working/developing new Social Enterprise start-up, with ambitions for future growth aimed at an ever increasing and polarised section of Society Time spent Recruiting Candidates, connecting with Businesses Developing Policies and Course Structure Planning Delivering Training on-line and in small in person groups when permitted Delivering monthly Workshops and Masterclasses on-line aimed at a larger cohort within the disabled community. Suitable Room Hire with technology facilities (2 hour session every 2 weeks) Equipment and Technical expertise for technology set-up

Stage reached by end of funding period

What stage will your project have reached by the end of this funding period? (100 words)

Over the first 12 months we will have developed a working model Social Enterprise with ambitions to become self funding through revenue received from offering business services. At the end of the funded project we will be in the following position: Taking on more businesses as clients, evaluation of launch pad and plan going forward, then start the process of recruiting and assessing interested candidates and run introductory workshops for interested applicants for September 2022 start.

Plan to further develop the solution

How do you plan to further develop the solution at the end of the funding period? (100 words)

Who are your customers

How will you establish routes to market

Firstly we would reach out to local disability groups (of who we are already in contact with) and specialist schools and colleges to identify potential project learners. We would use our experience in media and PR (as Sophie is a trained journalist and writes newspaper columns) to promote engagement of our project with our intended audience of businesses, charities, organisations and public bodies. Through established contacts we already have a variety of interested businesses and also not for profit partners who have shown a keen interest in working with us on a commercial basis.

Plans project end of Ufi funding period

Stage 2: Project Management

Project management methodology used

Teamâ€™s project management experience

Potential project risks and mitigation

Key members of your team

How are you going to evaluate project

Success will be measured by the number of applicants wishing to take part. After training the ability of the adults to take on work from private companies and also the number of adults who apply and are successful in obtaining an offer of paid employment. Regular evaluations of the Trainees progress and confidence throughout the course of the project to monitor positive health and well being outcomes which can only benefit their families as well. Another positive outcome would also be that the project had become self funding and the model was able to be rolled out further afield.

Stage 2: Project Investment

Is the funding for full cost of project

What funding are you seeking from Ufi

Elements project the Trust will support

Project is funded by additional sources

Funding from other organisations

Why you should receive charitable funds

As we are a new start-up social enterprise, we do not have any funds available to us yet, hence our reason for applying for this tech seed funding. We will not be able to commence this project until we have secured some funding to enable us to do so.

What is the status of your application

Stage 2: Communications

How plan to share outputs and results

Sharing the success stories of Trainees and of the projects using our strong links within the media. This will also be done actively with the project trainees so they can learn PR, marketing and media skills. Sophie Mai Lan our project lead is a multi award winning trained journalist, film maker and social media coach, who through her freelance roles will be able to expertly share our successes through a variety of mediums to reach a large audience.

Public facing summary of your project

â€œDigitally Activeâ€ – Enterprise Guide

Framework of project and responsibilities –

Working Plan

Funding: Source funding for project (Ali to look at grants and funding etc and Sophie to look at businesses to pay up front and support project). Equipment and subscriptions: e.g. 2 laptops to start with as itâ€™s better to keep separate on a laptop in Coactive. 1 tablet and 1 phone for project. To give an idea of different mediums. Wages: For Julie and Sophie. Venue: The Ridings with desks and chairs. Printing of course materials and coursebooks. Online subscriptions e.g. to tweetdeck and canva if needed.
Timetable of the project: Once a week session (and check availability of using that space). (Dan).
Participants: Dan Crossfield plus two others. (Julie). Interview and eligibility process, and finding strengths/skills and utilising them.
Market research on companies/businesses who may be interested and want they want. Simple tasks like website admin. This is good for certain disabilities to keep to same structure and processes. (Sophie)
Sophie and Julie to do a course that they think may be beneficial to help what weâ€™re doing futuregoals.co.uk and https://digitalmums.com/blog/free-digital-bootcamps-for-mothers and wakefield council fund a lot of courses (level 2).
Planning and development of course / loose course structure
Gage interest / commitment from businesses (SMEs one to one) to integrate into what we do (e.g. virtual assistant) and approach business networks e.g . Federation of small businesses / Wakefield Bondholders / WakefieldCouncil
Write up some terms and agreements/rules for participants and businesses (reassures businesses that itâ€™ll be only on Coactive devices and will be protected just Julie and Sophie would have the actual login details and be assisting the young people).
Launch date in place
Promotion and PR about the project including maybe press release and blog on Coactive site as well as a page on the website dedicated to the project. (Sophie and Dan).
Meet-up and greet of people involved in course and do learning styles quiz.
Delivery of course (Timeline of course: weekly sessions ongoing.)

Development of Course and ongoing evaluation
Creation of content from the course for Coactive and managing some of their content as if they are one of the businesses in the scheme.
Creating â€˜how-toâ€™ content/videos so others can learn too at home as there is a lot of content out there but not suitable for adults with learning disabilities.

Roles and responsibilities:

Julie –

Title – Project Co-ordinator

Recruitment (finding participants and interviews/eligibility)
Finance support for participants and travel etc
Finance Of project / book work (keep as separate section of coactive)
Invoicing and paperwork side of things
Business Networking
Admin tasks and policies
PAYE etc in later stages when hopefully we can pay some of the participants etc.

Sophie –

Title – Course Leader/ Facilitator

Recruitment (interviews/eligibility side of things)
PR and Marketing
Business Networking
Planning
Creating course materials
Delivery of course
Business Development (gaining clients/ businesses on board)

Dan –

Title – Volunteer admin assistant

PR, Marketing and business networking
Market Research
Admin
Housekeeping/ practicalities
Timetable of work and deadlines for businesses
Calendar / diarising / reminding people of when to do things

What we need from Coactive:

Policies
Assistance from Ali
Maybe access to any necessary courses e.g. safeguarding / DBS / Data Protection

Project services offered to businesses:

Service 1: Social Media Management (Break down of platforms and how to use)
Service 2: Content Planning / Scheduling
Service 3: Email marketing and mailchimp
Service 4: Basic Website Building Breakdown of site builders and how to use
Service 5: Optimising current sites e.g. SEO and ordering/clean up of sites
Service 6: Blog Writing and optimising
Service 7: Editing and making basic social media videos

Service 8: Creating Content for Businesses e.g. social media posts, vlogs, blogs and graphics
Basic PR and Marketing for businesses

YorkshireFamilies

Affordable

Accessible

Active

Helping all families get active, get out, and experience the best of Yorkshire and beyond.

Home

About us

Digitally active

Our bios

Our story

Draft bios:

GET ACTIVE. STAY CREATIVE. BE CONECTED.

Our background as Digitally Active (Yorkshire Families Magazine):

Sparkle Communications joined forces with a fellow independent business – Go2 Print as both businesses have experience of working with a range of people with disabilities from creative communications and arts to printed content and social media management.

Get Active, Be Creative and Stay Connected with Digitally Active

Digitally Active which creates content Yorkshire Families magazine (i.e. this is its online magazine) empowers people from seldom-heard groups, to utilise their interest in digital skills by running digital workshops and enabling those involved to get published, have the opportunity to create content for other businesses and most of all develop their own accessible media team.

We launched Digitally Active where we are not only utilising our in-house Yorkshire Families magazine to champion available and accessible activities but to up-skill people from seldom-heard backgrounds with a love of digital, media, writing, and online creative expression so that they can review places, learn how to be community reporters and acquire more digital skills as well as having their work published in the Online Magazine – we create our own glossy multi-platform content. Starting with writing, photography, podcasting, and vlogging, leading to creating a multi-platform TV, radio, and community magazine – something sustainable and in the long run. Not to mention the skills they will acquire as the next digital entrepreneurs – as they will have opportunities to learn how to run an enterprise, provide cost-effective simple web maintenance and social media packages assisting SMEs, and primarily being the reporters for the multi-platform community news channel, which will, of course, be as accessible as possible!

We have been piloting the project by reviewing places as community reporters. Myself the editor supports adults with disabilities to enjoy an activity and report on it for the site and our social media following of 5k combined (just the beginning).

Our ethos:

To empower communities to utilise their love of social media, online and digital media to create their own content to share their own stories in the most powerful way.

As we specialise in multi-platform content (social media management, website maintenance, blogging, vlogging, podcasting, and training people with digital skills) with ethical principles. Not only are we enabling people to explore their interests but also develop a career in digital either as an entrepreneur or working through us or for other organisations.

Get Active, Be Creative and Stay Connected with Digitally Active

Slogan: Get active, learn new skills & get connected in Yorkshire and beyond

Digitally Active is here to support organisations with cost-effective online support whilst harnessing and coaching the digital talents of adults with a wide range of disabilities.

From basic website building to social media management and content planning, Digitally Active will provide businesses, charities, and organisations with online support via their team of trained adults with learning difficulties (who will be under professional guidance and fully supported).

People with learning disabilities often have very little choice about work experience and gaining employment, so digitally active wants to help address this issue by offering digital training, support and real-world work experience as participants will be working for a range of businesses and organisations.

Yorkshire Families Magazine:

Days out, adventures, activities and experiences to help ALL families get out and active…

Where to go, what to do, activities, workshops, events and places to eat, drink and stay with your Yorkshire family

Regardless of any barriers you may face we want to help you and your family get active and experience the best of Godâ€™s Own County and beyond!

We specialise in:

* Affordable and free days out

* Accessibility regardless of financial situation, disability, sexuality, race, gender and any other barrier you may face

* Saving Money on experiences

* Recycling and Frugal Living

* Food banks / sharing /community meals

* Community activities

* Getting active as a family

* Reviews of things to do with the whole family

* Join our #Yfams community on facebook for free activities, money-saving tips, accessibility insider info and cheap ways to explore and get active.

Thereâ€™s no one size that fits all when it comes to a familyâ€¦ so we try to cover:

Things to do with your family on a budget // food banks/ sharing and community sharing // skill sharing // frugal living // fun and free activities // Keeping active as a family // Money saving tips // Local Neighbourhood communities // Support for local businesses // Campaigns // Learning for all // Debt help // Charities and community groups

The ultimate family guide to Yorkshire is at YorkshireFamilies.co.uk

@YorkshireFams on twitter

@YorkshireFamilies on Facebook and Instagram

Get Digital

Learn digital skills, get connected online & thrive with us

Get Active

Move indoors and outdoors from sporting events to home workouts & activities for the family

Get Creative

Make, Create and Express Yourself

Get Connected

Get out and about supporting and exploring your local community

* Magazine (Website and Social Media

Free activities, where to go, community support and what to6 do for families of all budgets, abilities and tastes in our online magazine.

* Digitally Active campaign

Whatâ€™s On Guide, Sports Reports and Social Media How-Tos as we want to help you get active, connect and overcome barriers you may face when it comes to accessibility requirements and learn new digital skills to help you get creative.

* Social Media and Online Tips as part of our campaign to share skills with those with additional needs and to help them get creating content and art online!

* We know that it can be hard to feel connected if you face any barriers, so our team of volunteers share their passions for TV, Sport and Mediaâ€¦

Yorkshire Families Magazine

Created by Digitally Active

Slogan: Get active, learn new skills & get connected in Yorkshire and beyond

Digitally Active is here to support organisations with cost-effective online support whilst harnessing and coaching the digital talents of adults with a wide range of disabilities.

So sorry about the delay! Iâ€™ve been waiting on approval from our Media team. I had also emailed the other speakers from the event, Karl Proud and Paul Wilkes, so you might have heard from them already. Hope the below quote from me is okay â€“

â€œAccessibility and digital inclusion is incredibly important for those of us who work in digital to focus on. Most people will either have a condition that will affect them getting online, or know someone who does. And yet, so many people with access needs and low digital skills are still getting blocked from using websites and being left behind. We in Tech have so much power to be able to make peopleâ€™s lives easier, and we can do that by making accessibility and digital inclusion our first thought, not just an afterthought. The best way to do that Iâ€™ve found, is by running regular research with people that have accessibility needs. They are the experts of their own experience, and we need to champion their voices and learn from them on how we can all be more digitally inclusive. At Asda, as well as doing increased accessibility user research sessions to get to the bottom of problems, weâ€™re doing regular accessibility audits, fixing accessibility issues, and reaching out to charities and organisations to form ongoing partnerships. All of these things join together to ensure we can work on being as accessible and inclusive as possible. â€

Soraya Gallagher, UX Researcher at Asda.

TO DO LIST:

– Agree bio for Digitally Active (Sophie will do for Yorkshire families)

– Our mission statement (bullet points)

– Slogan/ tag line

– Our target ethos

– Our values/ ethos

– Our unique selling point

– Our individual bios and photos for “meet the team”

– Agree ‘our story’

– Our roles and responsibilities

– Website: Sophie and Dan will sort this once all agreed above

Possible structure:

Redirected from Yorkshire Families site to our own pages at Yorkshire families.co.uk/digitally active for example

Home

About us

Digitally active

Our bios

Our storyÂ

Also our structure MODEL (social business or enterprise)Â financialÂ funding etc and timeline etcÂ
https://www.the-sse.org/resources/starting/developing-brand-social-enterprise/
https://www.the-sse.org/resources/starting/developing-brand-social-enterprise/

â— What is the name of your event/project? Grassroots News – Community Reporter Project â—Â Proposed date? â— Summer/ Autumn 2021 – Flexible to work throughout, prior, and post-festival. â— Please give a description of activities & expected target audience (e.g. families, under-fives, aged 65+) A multi-platform news outlet to report on the festival and issues/stories about the Earth/Environment such as, Food Waste, Recycling, Plastic, and Our Carbon Footprint.

We will empower and upskill a range of people who drop into our Grass Roots Media Hub! We will train and create content on the day that discusses environmental themes primarily using professional audio equipment to create a radio piece and podcast as well as showcasing a range of written, photography, and vlogging skills.

Depending on the weather this will be on The Ridings rooftop allotment or from our new indoor podcasting/social media studio inside the shopping centre. Participants can learn how to: – Share their own stories and those of the community around the themes involved. – Supported and trained by qualified journalists and multi-platform creatives, who will lead workshops on telling your own story of lived experience and community campaigni ideas to promote environmental issues. – As well as try out podcasting audio Grassroots Radio, mini news video-making (vlog style) Grassroots TV and, writing .

This will lead to long-lasting skills people can use or develop in their own areas as well as utilising the power of the media to communicate important messages in a Journalistic and Creative way. The outcome of the day of drop-ins will be that participants get to create their own piece of content depending on their interests. They can explore previous news clippings on environmental issues and get hands on support and guidance in their chosen area of â€˜coverageâ€™ ie writing blog or recording audio. We will then spend a day editing all the content together to create an audio montage, vlog-style highlights video, and print some of the stories and photographs to be displayed in The Ridings.

We hope the Audio and Visual content will get shared online through the local press and on social media as well as Festival of the Earth channels. We will also write a press release / news story about the day and the key stories. We hope to really focus on food waste, ethical urban living, and accessible ways to save money and the environment e.g. talks by Grow Wakefield who run the rooftop allotment and The Real Junk Food Project, and mini-workshops on creating cleaning products by some of the independent traders from The Ridings. All will result in people creating content although these workshops will be scheduled. About us: Sparkle Communications creates multi-platform media content to share soulful stories from ethical businesses to community groups and individuals utilising writing, vlogging, digital skills, delivering expert training in PR, Digital, and Influencer Marketing.

Run by multi-award-winning journalist Sophie Mei Lan who has made documentaries for Channel 4 News, ITV News, and BBC, from viral multimedia content to investigative journalism â€˜Scoop of the Yearâ€™ films. She has also created IRN short-listed commercial radio news exclusives for national and local radio as well as serving a number of seldom-heard communities by giving an online platform for unheard voices which led to social entrepreneur projects and publishing a range of magazines. Whilst she has worked for and trained extensively with the likes of Daily Mirror, BBC News, and grassroots newspapers, it is not about the accolades, for Sophie it is about using her skills as someone who has been shunned and stifled by the judgment she endures as a young mixed-race single mum with disabilities from economically-deprived northern roots.

Not only has she found her own voice and developed a range of mental health and wellbeing and creative communities online and through her businesses, but she also empowers others to utilise her skill set to share their own stories and enabling them to access a range of publications and media outlets to do this in the most powerful way. Our background as Digitally Active (Yorkshire Families Magazine): Sparkle Communications joined forces with a fellow independent business – Go2 Print as both businesses have experience of working with a range of people with disabilities from creative communications and arts to printed content and social media management.

Not only that Sparkleâ€™s Sophie Mei Lan has her own lived experience from her own life and relatives of some of the barriers facing people with disabilities to acquire jobs in the media and Go2Print run by Julie and Kevin Crossfield has their online content created by their son Daniel who also volunteers for Digitally Active and is on the Autistic Spectrum. Get Active, Be Creative and Stay Connected with Digitally Active Digitally Active which creates content Yorkshire Families magazine (i.e. this is its online magazine) empowers people from seldom-heard groups, to utilise their interest in digital skills by running digital workshops and enabling those involved to get published, have the opportunity to create content for other businesses and most of all develop their own accessible media team.

Not to mention the skills they will acquire as the next digital entrepreneurs – as they will have opportunities to learn how to run an enterprise, provide cost-effective simple web maintenance and social media packages assisting SMEs, and primarily being the reporters for the multi-platform community news channel, which will, of course, be as accessible as possible! We have been piloting the project by reviewing places as community reporters. Myself the editor supports adults with disabilities to enjoy an activity and report on it for the site and our social media following of 5k combined (just the beginning). Our ethos: To empower communities to utilise their love of social media, online and digital media to create their own content to share their own stories in the most powerful way.

Depending on the dates our other partners will deliver short talks/demos on what they produce: Grow Wakefield, The Real Junk Food Project, CoActive Arts, Wakefield Express, Love 2 Grow, Beyond Healing, and local community artists. Plan of Day and budget: Ideally, we will set up at the allotment above The ridings as Grow Wakefield will offer mini demos and share tips. Depending on weather and equipment we can use the Sparkle office inside The ridings above Holland and Barret which is a social media and podcasting community reporting and influencer studio. x 2 paid practitioners (Julie Crossfield and Sophie Mei Lan who run Digitally Active) = Â£300 Â£300 Expenses for volunteers, equipment, and necessary printing of materials/admin costs. x1 day of delivery of drop-in workshops at The Ridings x2 day of editing content and sharing/publishing – 1 practitioner = Â£300 x1 day marketing event and content (voluntarily) plus covering on Yorkshire Families x1 Prep Day not covered plus Â£100 to cover associated costs such as the design of content The overall project will cost us more than Â£1000 but we are really ethically minded and wanted to show the reach and impact we can offer but also educating people on all things digital to champion environmental campaigns for free online!

Your signature Name (PRINTED) SOPHIE MEI LAN Signature Date submitted 16/08/21 Did you know? Reducing food waste is one of the fastest ways to combat climate changeâ€¦ – It has been estimated that if food waste was a country, it would be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China. – One-third of greenhouse emissions globally come from agriculture, and 30% of the food we produce is wasted â€“ about 1.8 billion tonnes of it a year. If, as a planet, we stopped wasting food altogether, weâ€™d eliminate 8% of our total emissions. Shop smart, use left-overs, and support projects which reduce food waste.