Join Social Entrepreneurs Ireland  for their next event of The Impact Series. On the theme “Thinking Differently About Disability”, we will hear from a diverse range of speakers working across the areas of public policy, social enterprise, international business and elite sport. Together they are challenging convention, pushing boundaries and working to build a more inclusive society focused on value and contribution.

 

Speakers

 

Mark Pollock, Adventure Athlete and Author

 

Mark is regarded worldwide as an expert in smashing expectations. Unbroken by blindness at 22, Mark competed in ultra-endurance races across deserts, mountains, and the polar ice caps including an epic 2 month expedition race to the South Pole. He won silver and bronze rowing in the Commonwealth Games. In July 2010, a tragic fall left him paralysed. Mark is now living his own lessons, a pioneer exploring the frontiers of spinal cord injury recovery.

 

Claire Murphy, Co-Founder, Leap

 

Claire believes that families who have a family member with a disability need to be supported to be the creators and drivers of their own destiny. A 2012 Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awardee, Leap work with families to support them to feel motivated, confident and inspired to take control of their own lives and make decisions based on the development of a clear vision rooted in community; where success is measured by real life experiences, relationships and contribution.

 

Dave Malone, Head of Paralympic Swimming, Paralympics Ireland

 

Dave has been Head of Paralympic Swimming at Paralympics Ireland since 2009 delivering 14 international medals including two gold at London 2012 and a record-breaking eight medals at this summer’s World Championships. Prior to this, he competed for Ireland at four Paralympic Games, winning medals in his favoured 100m backstroke event at Atlanta 1996 (silver), Sydney 2000 (gold) and Athens 2004 (silver).

 

Amie Hynes Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer, Kanchi

 

Amie is passionate about promoting the opportunity that inclusion represents to business, politics and society. She works as Communications Officer at Kanchi which is an award-winning social enterprise that works to unleash the value of the one billion people in the world with a disability. In 2003, Amie started working with Kanchi Founder Caroline Casey on a fundraising project and she has been connected to Kanchi ever since. Amie works on both the Ability Awards programme and the Kanchi Business Network and through her work, she has seen how one big idea and the power of business can change how people with disabilities participate in society.

For bookings see: http://theimpactseries3.eventbrite.ie/

To watch a montage of previous Impact events: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBNcjAtM7gY