Jonathan and Shane; Dimensions Awards Finalists
Jonathan and Shane, close friends and proud community advocates, have been named finalists in the Advocacy, Policy and the Media category at The Dimensions Leaders Awards 2026.
Through Campaign 4 Change, they share their own experiences and use British Sign Language (BSL) to help improve communication and make things more inclusive for D/deaf people, especially people with learning disabilities, autism and other neurodivergent people. Campaign 4 Change is all about making sure people with lived experience are listened to, and that services and communities are shaped with people, not just for them.
Jonathan and Shane are supported by Achieve together’s Educational Day Service in Bath, where they’ve been building confidence and finding more ways to speak up and influence change.
Being shortlisted is a big moment and a brilliant sign that their message is being heard. They are raising awareness of D/deaf inclusion and showing what accessible communication can look like, using creativity, humour, performance and practical tips that others can take away.
A recent highlight was presenting at the Learning Disability England conference in Birmingham. Their session, “More Than Words: Deaf Communication and Inclusion”, explored what meaningful inclusion really means and what needs to change so that D/deaf people are properly supported to take part on equal terms.
Huge congratulations to Jonathan and Shane. By challenging exclusion and pushing for better communication, they are helping to make sure D/deaf people are seen, heard and valued as equals. If their story and advocacy get you thinking, a simple first step is to ask yourself what communication styles work best for someone else, then make more space for BSL, visual cues and other accessible choices.
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