British Jewellers' Association

Entrepreneurs with disabilities are often successful but sometimes have to work harder to reassure customers, contractors, partners and lenders that they’re up to the job and overcome unjustified doubts about their abilities. For some there are real mobility and communication challenges and often extra costs in terms of equipment, or staff to support them.

The prospects for disabled entrepreneurs could be improved through a few simple reforms to communications and procurement, backed up with a change in the attitudes and expectations of partners and lenders in the Jewellery sector. At the moment there simply isn’t the evidence to draw on when discussing change and reform with buyers and banks and the organisers of major events like the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

A national survey on the experiences and challenges faced by disabled business owners early in 2012 is intended to change that.

The British Jewellers’ Association (BJA) has agreed to support the expert team of business advisors at Leonard Cheshire Disability, the UK’s largest disability charity, in carrying out this work. The results will be used to press for improvements that will open opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs.

The first step is to set up a focus group to shape the survey and formulate the research process.

It would help enormously if any BJA members, who are disabled, could spend a small amount of time looking at the aims and proposals, online or face to face, it would be really great to hear from you.

Go to http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/760194/BJA-LCD-Membership-Consultation-Survey-2011