The Good Practice Guide – Supporting Disabled Entrepreneurs in Wales

This guide has been developed by Disability Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government. It provides information and practical advice for business support organisations and advisors on how best to engage with and support disabled people who are starting, sustaining or growing their business in Wales. While many people find starting their own business challenging, disabled people often report additional challenges or barriers. Consideration of such challenges is the main focus of this guide. Disability Wales held a series of one to one interviews and facilitated group discussions with disabled business owners to help inform the guide. Seven main themes emerged from these discussions which are explored further within the guide followed by a set of practical tips to help business support organisations and advisors. The themes are:  

• Business Advice and Information - This looks at accessibility, inclusivity and unbiases, ensuring disabled entrepreneurs have the same high-quality support available to them as non-disabled entrepreneurs. 
• Aspirations - Lifestyle or High Growth Businesses? – Research suggest disabled entrepreneurs may lack confidence or have limited aspirations to grow the business. This theme will look at the reasons why  and how these negative stereotypes can be challenged.  
• Accessing Finance – Securing access to appropriate finance can be challenging for any entrepreneur but disabled entrepreneurs may face additional challenges, this looks at those challenges and suggests ways to alleviate them.
• Wider Financial Issues – focus here is on the potential loss of welfare benefits in which disabled entrepreneurs are more likely to be in receipt of and suggests ways to manage this fear.
• Training and Events – this looks at how disabled people may be more reluctant to attend training events due to lack of confidence, concerns about access or even fear of how they might be received. This theme looks at the steps that can be taken to create a more inclusive and accessible space.
• Mentoring and Networking – Peer mentoring has been identified as an approach well suited to business support for disabled people. This theme looks at the benefits involved.
• Access – Being accessible means something different to those with different impairments or health conditions. This theme offers practical tips to make services more accessible to a broad range of disabled people.

A link to the full guide can be found below.