About Dean

By this, I mean I help your business to identify how to make your physical spaces and online spaces more accessible for EVERYONE.

(GET OUT THE VIOLINS FOR THIS PART…)

Growing up Disabled in the North East (Newcastle born and bred) was no walk in the park for me (obviously). ( And before you say it, I know, I don’t sound like a Geordie! I’m deaf, I cannit hear ye man. And my amazing speech therapist was posh, divin’t ye knaa!)

Anyway, the point is, my life has given me first-hand experience of the issues that many people with disabilities continue to face with accessibility daily. And, well, there are A LOT.

I have experienced exclusion and inaccessibility at School, College, University, Restaurants, Cafes,

Leisure activities, Hotels, Events, Conferences and at Work. Basically, EVERYWHERE.

Before I set up Dean Frank Reynolds, I was trying to make it in the world of employment. But at every corner (sometimes literally), I was faced with an accessibility issue.

And, you know what? My employer just wasn’t that great at knowing what to do about it and more specifically what the law said they should be doing about it. Not because they didn’t care, they just didn’t know!

So, it was down to me to sort out any issues. Find the equipment I needed. Make adjustments.

That’s what got me thinking… (dangerous, I know!)

There must be so many businesses who…

● don’t know the best way to help employees with accessibility issues

● don’t know how to make their physical spaces and online spaces more accessible for disabled people

● don’t know they have an obligation to be accessible (there’s laws on this stuff, you know?)

(Switch from violins to uplifting music here please…)

That’s when I had my ah-ha moment!

(at precisely 11.37am on January 18th , 2019 or thereabouts)

● I can use my personal experiences and passion for inclusivity to help businesses with these problems

● I’m an expert in life & tech hacks that help overcome accessibility issues

● I can make the world a more accessible place (this is my super-spoony power!)

So, within a month of that ah-ha moment, I had…

● left my inaccessible job

● signed up as a member of the Access Association

● began working through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) qualification

● and become a supporting member of NRAC (National Register of Accessibility Consultants).

Oh yeah, and the biggie – I set up and registered my business DEAN FRANK REYNOLDS.

To be an Accessibility Consultant – on wheels!

(And here you are now, reading all about it. So, thanks for that.)

ACCESSIBILITY IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK…

Since starting this journey, I’ve realised that most businesses are a little bit scared of ‘accessibility’ and ‘inclusivity’. Would you agree?

● Are you unsure what it means to your business?

● Scared of getting it wrong?

● Worried that making your business more accessible is a big, expensive job?

Well, I’m here to roll-over those worries.

Because, I’ve found that it’s often the little, spoon-saving changes (that are quick, easy and affordable) that can make a big difference to people like me (for example, changing the lightbulbs you use to maximise visibility).

But there’s so much that can be done to improve accessibility in your business with the right planning and accessibility roadmap for the future.

That’s why me (and my spoons) are here to raise awareness about this.

It’s my mission to make the world (online and offline) a more accessible place for EVERYONE…one spoon at a time!

(If you’re wondering what all this spoon stuff is about – head over to my blog coming soon)

I want to work with businesses of all sizes to implement real and reasonable adjustments.

Honestly, it’s easier than you think to make your business more accessible and widen your employee net or customer base.

And it all starts with you and me having a quick chat!

(and hopefully, coffee & cake.)