being an entrepreneur who is dyslexic

I have just read an interesting and relevent article to all dyslexic entrepreneurs and organisations who provide support for entrepreneurs as a whole. Here is a little of what the article said:

"PrI ofessor Julie Logan’s research at the University of Bristol in 2001 reported that 1 in 5 of the UK’s entrepreneurs she surveyed was dyslexic, twice the rate expected for adults in the UK. Women’s Enterprise Scotland estimate that 60,000 women are registered as business owners in Scotland, which could equate to as many as 12,000 female dyslexic entrepreneurs, depending on how the term ‘entrepreneur’ is applied.
In 2008 Prof. Logan’s research at Cass Business School in London made business headlines when she reported that entrepreneurs with dyslexia make significantly different decisions compared to non-dyslexic entrepreneurs in two key respects: the number of businesses they choose to set up, and how many people they employ. Dyslexic entrepreneurs did significantly more of both. This means that the actions of this group are important for economic growth."

Lets just suppose there are another 12.000 male dyslexic entrepreneurs or potential entrepreneurs out there in Scotland. Yet many schools, colleges, training organisations fail to provide adequate support that will enable dyslexics so succeed. Yet many dyslexics still leave school without having their dyslexia assessed and as a result end in in low level employment, long term unemployed or worse still in our prisons. This is a waste of their lives, they become and burden on the economy and it is a waste of potential income for the scottish economy. Dyslexics have to be seen as a potential untapped resource to the socttish economy and provided with appropriate support in our schools and colleges. This support need not cost a lot of money. Indeed a few simple clicks of a mouse can enable a dyslexic to work more effectively on a computer for no cost what so ever.

I do not believe dyslexia to be a disability it is society that disables so many of us by not teaching us in ways we can access the learning in schools.

I am one of those male dyslexic entrepreneurs and before I founded Dyslexia Pathways 3 years ago I had a career as a dyslexia specialist working with adults in colleges. I have to say that when I was starting up my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways I encountered is a total lack of dyslexia specific support for dyslexic entrepreneurs here in Fife and in Edinburgh. I went to many organisations for support and advice and not one of them any idea dyslexia and how to support a dyslexic entrepreneur. Many orgainsations I went to were more of an hinderence than a help. I did meet with some supportive individuls who were very supporting and I have to thank them for their support with my own journey to becoming an entrepreneur.

One of the aims of Dyslexia Pathways is to create a new mentoring scheme for dyslexic entrepreneurs and potentail entrepreneurs. To enable  them to unleash their potential and succeed in their chosen entrepreneurial path. Please read my blog if you would like to find out more about the work we do at Dyslexia Pathways.

a pen of thorns

Hi all hope you are all ok out there

A pen of thorns

Whenever I think about the difficulties I experienced with writing at school I am taken back to an image I used for a dyslexia project I did for my first dyslexia specialist qualification. Some of you may also remember it. It summed up dyslexia for me to a tee at that time. It was just a hand wearing an industrial glove and holding a pen covered in rose thorns. No non dyslexic will ever comprehend how the simple act of putting pen to paper can be so difficult and painful for dyslexics.

Going back to my secondary school days I can remember that I would look at others in my class writing neatly in joined up writing using their fountain pens. They left no trail of ink or blots as their hand glided over the page with all the ease of a professional skater on the ice. Their writing flowed easily across the page like water flowing down river. Sentences and paragraphs all neat and tidy, spelling all correct miraculously appeared. I couldn't get it together at all. The fountain pen felt uncomfortable in my left hand, my writing didn't flow it stuttered, I had to drag it across the page. Whilst not quite as actually prickly as the pen in the picture it metaphorically might as well have been. No sooner had I put pen to paper there would be a mess of ink trailing behind my left hand. My hand would be covered in ink as I tried hard to engage in the act of writing on a piece of paper.

Then there was my spelling to contend with. It was like trying to drive down a road full of lollypop ladies. It seemed like every third word I would have to stop and contemplate how to spell something. Every five yards I drove down this road one of lolly pop ladies one would step out and stop me. Then so sooner had she gone another would be in her place. Needless to say it took me ages to write anything and every time I handed in work a teacher would comment on my messy work. If I was lucky they wouldn't do it in front of the rest of the class. For those of you who may not know what a lollypop lady is they are people who stop traffic to let school children cross the road in safety.

By the time I was 14 years old I have had enough of school, well the learning part of it anyway. So I stopped attending. Not altogether though I would go to art and music but for me the rest of school was irrelevant. It was a lot easier to skip school back then than it is now. I had lots of inventive ways of skipping school.

Years later in my first year at university I got feedback from a lecturer for a 2000 assignment I completed. I had spent many hours handwriting this assignment and, gawd only knows, how many pieces of paper were screwed up and thrown in the bin before I had completed it. Every word was written in upper case because that’s the only way I can write legibly. I checked every word for spelling errors many times. It was like painting the Sistine Chapel for me. The first comment the lecturer wrote, in the dreaded red ink I might add, was,” doesn’t writing like this take a long time? How can you ever expect to pass an exam writing like this?” Somehow this comment took the gloss off the fact I got an A- for the assignment.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness

Steve McCue

Onwards and upwards

If you have a blog that nobody reads is that equivalent to talking to yourself?

;-)))))

Well after 9 weeks of hard work that day I have been waiting for has arrived.......yep its pay day lol. Well I hope its pay day because I have no idea if the monies I am owed for the work I have done has been actually paid into my bank account. Still fingers crossed that there are no hitches. 

This working for yourself lark is very famine or feast.....I either have more work than I can cope with or no work at all. For example I have had 10 very busy weeks to contend with but after next week I will have no paid work for about three weeks. Still it gives me a chance to recharge my batteries and develop other ideas and look for other funding opportunities. Today I am meeting with someone regarding a dyslexic community project based around culture / dyslexic culture. If I can make a good pitch and win the funding it could lead to developing new sources of income.

Onwards and upwards so they say pmsl

revision bah humbug lol

I am currently working with a lot of students revising for exams. Blimey I rememeber my own experience of exams and not much of the memories are positive. On my degree my course work grades were As and high B grades but my exams were C grades if I was lucky. I really worked hard at revision...if only I had me teaching me back then what I know today about being a dyslexic doing exam revision lol. 

I met with one student who I have worked with a couple of times before. Last time we met I had suggested she try using mind maps to help her with revising. The student came for their dyslexia support today and showed me her revision mind maps. They were a peice of art work in their own right. Great use of imigary and colour on a large peice of art paper. Fantastic stuff..........

I had another student who has only been assessed as being dyslexic a few months ago. He is still trying to come to terms with it and how it has impacted on his life in the past and today. He is one of the reasons why I feel dyslexia specialists should all be trained counsellers. He has a lot of self errected barriers to break down as well as issues with his confidence and self esteem. Had a great session with him today though.

For some time I have been thinking about writng a book on dyslexia based on my own experiences as a dyslexic trying to survive in a non dyslexic world. I have been writing bits and peices here and there but lacked focus for a book. Today I thought of a book title which, I hope, will enable me to focus on writing this book.

Tomorrow I have a meeting with a prospective funder for a project on dyslexia and culture. I am hoping to get the funding to develop a new dyslexia friendly web site that will enable dyslexics to show their art work, music, writing and photographs. I would like to have a theme of being positive about dyslexia but this is still in development. Its only a very small amount of money which will restrict what can be done but we will give it a go.

In December I am hoping to get a new director for Dyslexia Pathways. I just have to arrange a meeting and see if we can work together. If I am to take Dyslexia Pathways any further as a business I need to have others on board who have the time, expertise and committment to enable me to take Dyslexia Pathways further.

a tough few months finacially

The past 5 months have been really tough for us financially. We are still struggling after fostering the kids for 8 weeks over the summer. Not that I would have done anything different mind you. But I had to give up my work at the universities to months early and lost 8 weeks income as I became the main carer for the kids. I had to close the company down for 8 weeks essentially. When I have the time I will relate the whole story in my blog. Have to say the social services were about as much use as a chocolate watch in hell. We received no help finacially, no support with child care costs or with getting the youngest into a nursery not support of any kind what so ever.

The whole social services side of the fostering was a complete night mare. So much so I, and the family, have made an official complaint. This in itself has been hmmmmm difficult. I am lucky in some respects as I have experience of working with vulnerable kids and adults as an inclusion and dyslexia specialist teacher. I know how the system works and have reasonable good literacy skills. Well I have a masters degree and specialist teaching qualifications so my literacy skills are pretty good despite being dyslexic.

In my view the social services let down the kids, their mum and ourselves in a big way. So I feel I have no choice but to take this complaint as far as I can. My next letter goes to the head man at the council and to the first minister of Scotland

As I said I lost two months income, I didnt have any time to develop the company and my new ideas and all my savings were used. I lost training opportunities and new business opportunities.

We really enjoyed fostering the kids but its not easy caring for a 3 year old and 14 year old. It was the hardest and most challenging thing I have ever done in my life. The good news is the kids are back with their mum and all are getting the support they need from a different social work team. I have nothing but praise for all those involved in getting the kids back together with their mum. But not those initially involved with this case

The good news is I started working again in September with my company Dyslexia Pathways and on Friday I will receive the cash I earned in October. Phew it is much needed and its been a long two month hard slog to get here. The good news is we have ecceeded the targets set from last year already.

charging carers for respite and support? surely no!

An article from change org

A Scotland which devalues unpaid carers

We have been informed that very few , if any, of the proposed amendments to the Self Directed Support Bill in relation to unpaid carers have been moved for Stage 3, with the exception of at least one amendment submitted by Scottish Labour which relates to: Section 16 of the Bill would amend section 87 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (concerning local authorities’ powers to charge for services or support) and would have the effect of allowing local authorities to charge for support provided to carers under section 2 of the Bill.

This amendment has not be supported by the Government. If this amendment is not accepted it will effectively open up the possibility that local authorities can extend charges for support to thousands of unpaid carers who love and support those with a disability or long term health condition.
Carers have very few rights and, each day, we find it more difficult (due to existing charging and tightening eligibility criteria) to access the support needed to ensure that the people we love and care for can live with dignity and be fully part of our communities.

We cannot understand why this Government has chosen not to strengthen the rights of carers when Ministers consistently tell us how much our contribution is valued. By effectively extending charging for support to us, any commitment to valuing carers is demeaned.

Is this the vision for an independent Scotland - one where carers who provide some £10 billion of care and support every year - are charged when they need a bit of help, which sustains their ability to care?

We ask that this Government reconsider the amendments submitted by carers’ organisations. We believe the amendment submitted to remove the provision which extends the ability to charge, and others suggested relating to carers’ assessments and a duty to support carers will strengthen provision for Scotland's 600,000 unpaid carers, a group who save this country in excess of £10 Billion per year, a group that is growing, and may well include many of those who read this, if not now, perhaps in the future. We ask that when the debate takes place next Wednesday all MSPs will put aside party politics and vote to strengthen this Bill for unpaid carers

a polemic from ME!!!!!! lol

The condems, and Labour before them, are pushing more and more people into poverty caused by their political policies and decisions.

Banks and other organisations such as power companies have been allowed by our politicians to behave in a despicable manner. Our politicians failed to place effective controls on the banks to stop them from gambling the money away that we the public trusted them to look after.

Our politicians have failed to stop energy companies from profiteering from its customers. Our politicians have failed to stop organisations and rich individuals from evading the paying of taxes.

The decisions made by our politicians enable companies to get richer whilst the people they employ and the rest of us and this country as a whole get steadily poorer. Our politicians do not represent the disabled community, the poor or vulnerable people in our society.

We are currently being ripped of by a group of male, middled aged millionaires who are there to represent themselves and their paymasters. They fail to take any responsibility for any poor decisions they make.

These people have no morals, not one ounce of humanity between them and feel no compassion towards the people their decisions and politicies negatively affect. The sooner disable people realise this and start to become politically active the better.

We need our own political party to represent us, they can't ignore us if we are sitting in parliament face to face.

Feedback from students who used our services at Dyslexia Pathways

What people who used our services said about us:

 

Sarah said:

“I had one to one support with Steve from Dyslexia Pathways who was great. We worked on different techniques together such as how to effectively read and way to develop my memory skills. This time last year I was in a mess due to stress and anxiety due to dyslexia and coping with university life. I didn’t feel able to cope. I know now that I have the ability to excel in university.”

 

Colin said:

"The support and guidance that Steve from Dyslexia Pathways has provided has allowed me to focus my attention on strategies that enable me to overcome my dyslexia using my personal strengths."

Margaret said:

"The dyslexia support that Steve from Dyslexia Pathways gave me increased my confidence in my own abilities and enhanced my self esteem"

Emma said:

"For the first time ever I completed a piece of work with time to spare. This was because I was taught how to structure my time more effectively."

Gary Said:

"Last year before I started working with Steve from Dyslexia Pathways I failed my course and exams. This meant I had to take my first year at university again.  After receiving support from Steve  I managed to pass my exam and course work and move into my second year."

a few observations on life Victor Meldrew stylee lol

The condems do nothing but run the people of this country down. Half the country are workshy scroungers, disabled people are unable to make any positive contribution to society, young people that work hard in school are taking worthless qualifications the youth that are not are lazy stupid and cause trouble where ever they are. People are having the timerity to live longer too and having to scrounge off the state pension so they put the pensionable age up so that most of us will have to work until we drop.

 I thought that government was there to represent the people but to me is appears all they do represent are middle aged white male Lords of the land.They have never had go through the dehumanising process of claiming benefits. Never had to go without food so their children could eat. Have never and will never experience poverty first hand. Will never lose their home because they have lost their job.

How does it make sense the poor and less well off have to pay the highest prices for electricity and gas to heat their homes and cook their food? Fuel price hikes are putting more and more of us into fuel poverty. Yet fuel provider profits rise year on year.

How can our government introduce a minimum price for alcohol in order to curb binge drinking and yet have access to subsidised booze in parliament? The prices they pay mean they are will be the only ones who will be able to afford to drink pretty soon.

Teach us in ways we can access learning and we can learn and achieve

Dyslexia is not a disability have been saying that for many many years. It is society that disables many dyslexics because we are not taught in ways that enable us to access the learning going on in the class room. There is far to much focus of the things we do struggle with doing. Not enough on our abilities and the things we do well. We are just like anyone else out there in the non dyslexic world. We excell at some things and struggle with others. Its not that we cannot read or write well because clearly we can once we find stratagies that enable us to do those tasks well. Yes we do struggle with spelling but so do many non dyslexics. We have to move away from a medical model of dyslexia that tells us our brains do not work correctly. That dyslexics need to be cured of the malady of dyslexia. We have to move away from a disabled remediation model of dyslexia that takes kids out of the class room and gives them even more work to do in school. Dyslexic kids already work very hard at school and what do we do? We give them even more work to do. We need teachers and teaching methods that enable all kids to achieve in the classroom according to their disability. Please note in the CLASSROOM together with other kids. I do not believe in medicating dyslexic, adhd and add kids at all.

Sigh lol

My dyslexia work at universities is going very well. I have already seen more students than this time last year and am doing some dyslexia support work 5 days a week. Had a bit of  blip last week on Wednesday with my health but managed to work through it. Had to cancel one appointment though as I was just too ill to concentrate. So far this month is going well too.

Thursday was an interesting day. I had to get into Edinurgh by public trasport and it was a total night mare. Basically I spent 5 hours working providing dyslexia and over 6 hours travelling by bus from and to Glenrothes. I left my home a 6am and finally arrived home at 6.45pm. I got home my brain was just mince lol

I am struggling finacially at the moment but will be solvent again once I get paid for the dyslexia support work I carried out in October. I will probably end up £100 in overdraft by the time I get paid for the October work at the end of November. I love what I do and have other ideas to develop but this working for yourself lark is very hand to mouth and far from an easy option.

I would like to get myself on a course to update my skillset but everything costs money and its money we just do not have at this time. I would like to do something more on social enterprise so that I could mentor other dyslexic entrepreneurs or in something to do with leadership. Or update my dyslexia teaching skills so that I could work with children as well as adults. Finally, I need to get some refresher training in assisstive technology. The inability to get any training for myself is the one thing which gets me down. I am keeping my eyes open for any possible free training I could access but as yest not seen anything suitable.

Had a meeting with our graphic artist volunteer who is helping me to realise my designs for a new project I want to push forward with. He is dyslexic himself and is quite a talented artist. We met in a little coffee house and had a very interesting conversation about my work and this new project. We quite forgot about paying for our coffee and were chased out by one member of staff asking for payment. Do'h I wasn't trying to do a runner we just strolled out of the door in deep conversation lol. Still the staff were very polite about it and I was very apologetic and embarressed lol.

I have received a lot of calls from prospective dyslexic volunteers which is another area I would like to develop. However, I think I would need some office space to move in this direction. Which again costs money that we do not have. Once December is here I will look into the crowd funding idea once again.

Sigh lol

Dyslexia support work rooms

Had 5 great dyslexia support sessions today with 5 quite different students. Even got to work in a very nice room with a nice big window letting in lots of natural light today. Normally I get the pleasure of working in a small sideroom that has a long appature in the ceiling leading up to a small window which lets in no natural light what so ever. Still its a warm and resonable comfortable room to work in.

I can't complain though. When I first started working with dyslexic students I had to find my own classroom to work in with a student. No privacy at all then as anyone could walk in during a dyslexia support session and any time.

In one college I worked at I had my own office and place to work with students. It was in a building euphamistically called The Cottage. My office was on the first floor. Sounds rather quaint a lovely but the Cottege was right next to a main road which often disturbed me and my students. The bottom floor was used as a staff room where staff oftem went to cook and eat their microwaved food and smoke lol. The smell of the food often permiated into my office lol. Ahhhh happy days as they say. 

genetically inferior

I was taking part in a discussion about Ian Duncan Smith on another forum. The phrase genetically inferior was used. Hmmm interesting phrase genetically inferior..... I don't know why or how or exactly when the UK became an intolerant uncaring society. But that’s where we are now.

 What surprises me is just how quickly the electorate swallowed the conservative / lib dem war against disabled people with all its vitriol and lies about disabled people. That somehow we are all scroungers and benefit cheats who are living the good life on benefits. That disabled people are incapable of making any positive contributions to society at all.

When the Nazis embarked on their final solution and built extermination camps that killed millions of people who had been labelled as being genetically inferior. The rest of German society at that time chose to ignore what was being done by their political leaders in their name.

Here in the UK the electorate are choosing to ignore what is being done to disabled people and people from other vulnerable groups in our society.

If anyone is genetically inferior it is the condems because somewhere along the line they lost their humanity and tolerance genes. It must be a condition that is transferable by media because the rest of UK society seems to be losing theirs too.

everyone needs to make some me time

All of us have to make time for ourselves, carers especially. I know its not an easy thing to do. I cared for my gran for a while and it was not easy at all. So I know what I am talking about. But if we don't look after ourselves we can end up not being physically or mentally able to cope with the challenges we face or look after ourselves. Who cares for the carers when they get ill? So we all need to make time for ourselves and get away from the pressures that caring for someone can give us. Its not olny carers though. In my work as a dyslexia specialist I work with people who have experienced great difficulties in their lives. Working with dyslexics is about creating good positive relationships where people can trust in us. I work with the whole person no just with the dyslexia in isolation. Its suprising the things people have told me. One student, she was over 50 years old, told me she had been abused by her father when she was a chid. It was something she had never told anyone before in her life. So I make sure I make time for myself with my computer games and with writing and playing music. All of us need to have some me time if we want to keep healthy.

I know its sounds sad but???? lol

My dyslexia work keeps me pretty busy what with providing dyslexia support to students, awareness training and all the preparation that requires. Then there are all the mundane tasks that any business has to do from updating databases, looking for new business and supporting volunteers. Dyslexia Pathways certainly keeps me on my toes. If I let it dyslexia could take up all my waking hours and then some of my sleeping ones too.

Whenever I get the opportunity I enjoy playing computer games. It’s been something of a passion of mine for many years. I still vividly remember spending many happy hours playing speccy games like The Hobbit and Knight Lore way back in the early 1980s. I used to play The Hobbit with a few of the guys in one of my first bands. We got stuck on one bit of the game for ages and in the end we wrote a song about it called Gandalf Carries the Dead Butler and yes it probably sounded as bad as the title suggests. But to us it was brilliant pmsl.

I have just completed one of my favourite games of all time again Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time for the umpteenth time. It was first released on the Nintendo N64 in 1998 and was cutting edge at that time. I am not sure if its a dyslexia thing but I just love the overall ethereal feel of the game. The characterisations are brilliant as are the graphics and sound. Whenever I play it feels like meeting and old friend you haven’t seen for a while.

I always used to call it the Ocriana of Time a typical dyslexic mistake. Even now that’s what I the game. I will be playing the next game in the series The Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask now ...... yet again.  

We dyslexics still have a long way to go

I have been an inclusion and dyslexia specialist since 1995. I don't think we have made any progress in terms of access to support at schools here in the UK over the last 15 years. I am not saying there are not some good schools following good practise out there supporting dyslexic and disabled kids. But they are far and few between. In colleges and universities again there are some that are following good practise but many more are not. As for support for dyslexics in the workplace, trying to get into the workplace and or in training for work the situation is even worse. Dyslexia is so far down the list of priorities here in Scotland you would think it didn't exist. I know I carried out my own research here in Fife and found training companies not providing any support to dyslexics, discovered young dyslexics moving from one training programme to another and never moving into employment, many dyslexics in long term unemployment. There are many reasons for this. We have no government stratagy to ensure dyslexics can access the support they need in education and employment where ever they are in the UK. We need a united dyslexic community to drive the dyslexic agenda instead of assisstive tech companies and those who make mega bucks from the dyslexia industry. We need a universally agreed definition for dyslexia. If we can't agree on a definition then why should schools, employers, training organisations, colleges and universities do anything for dyslexics at all. Having said all that we have to keep on fighting from the bottom up and top down. At Dyslexia Pathways we support dyslexics and enable them to overcome barriers but we also try to raise a positive ability focussed profile of dyslexia as the scottish parliament

Going well

Had a great day today working with two dyslexic students. Both are extremely bright individuals at university but both were struggling with assignements. One was even contemplating quitting. However, after working with them today we managed to sort out the issues and put together a plan of action for the following week.

I like to use self reflective learning with a lot of the students I work with. Its a great tool for self discovery, for exploring dyslexia issues both positive and negative and for finding psotive ways forward. I advise anyone working with dyslexics to consider using self reflective learning.

I also like to work with students to enable them to cope better with anxiety and stress so we looked at various was to deal with these more effectively. Personally I do not think enough work is done to enable students to cope better with stress and anxiety.

Academia can be a very stressful place for a lot of students not only dyslexic students. But a lot of dyslexic students have to work so much harder to cope with the rigours of academic life. Its not that we cannot do academia we just have to develop our own stratagies to become more effective and efficient students. Self reflective learning can be an invaluable tool for this.

We are nearly at the end of October and we are already well ahead of our targets for this academic year which is good news.

I am looking for people who might like to get involved in the work we do. Things like looking for prospective funders, writing funding bids, developing our web site or running a crowd funding campaign.

Yet another cure for dyslexia in the news

I am dyslexic not ill, I am dyslexic and very happy to be so, I am dyslexic and a unique individual with strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else dyslexic and non dyslexic. Yes dyslexia can place many barriers in front of us. But barriers are there to be broken through and each barrier broken through makes us stronger and those struggles made me who I am today. If I had been taught at school in multi sensory dyslexia friendly ways that enabled me to access the learning in class I might not have struggled so much in later life. I am dyslexic so ok I might struggle with spelling or with my organisation etc. On the other hand I am dyslexic and a great problem solver,  an excellent teacher, artistic, a musician and an entrepreneur etc. I doubt I would have been any of these if it were not for my dyslexia. I am dyslexic not ill and I do not want t be medicalised, remediated or corrected. It is non dyslexic society that disables dyslexics not dyslexia. I am dyslexic why shoulld I be ashamed of that?

sigh well thats it lol

Had as great morning working with dyslexic students, its been a great week in fact. Been working with student from diverse backgrounds on diverse courses from forensic science to biology to game programming.

It looks like I will not be attending the Ignite programme this week end. Had it been next month later my finances would have been in better order. Only 3 weeks back providing dyslexia support and we are already 35% up on our numbers of students seen from last year. I should have called them yesterday but didn't just to embarressed sigh.

I rang the bank and asked for an increase to my business bank account overdraft from £200 to £300 and was refused point blank. Gawd I know times are hard but refusing a £100 increase on my business bank overdraft does not make sense to me. Especially since we are in our fourth year of trading and we are not exactly going to go out of business next week.. Well these things are sent to try us lol.

I know from many other social entrepreneurs finding cash for training is next to immpossible so I am not alone. However, I find it very frustrating because I enjoy learning and need to update my current skills base.

Its also finding cash to pay for new software as well. My current versions of assistive software are over 4 years old now. Which in computing terms is just plane out of date lol.

Still on the plus side the designs for the new project are nearly completed next its looking for funding time again lol.

news some good some bad lol

Worked with 15 new dyslexia students this week. Each one had their own unique story to tell and barriers to break. Also met with a few students I worked with last year and all had very positive things to say about the dyslexia support. The one to one work is very exhausting though and takes a lot out of me but I enjoy what I do. Very few people can say that about the work they do.

The graphic artist volunteer has sent me some initial sketches and ideas for the new logo I want to use on a new project I am working on. I also spent some time putting together some new ideas too. I have also been putting together some images for the ability foussed positive profile of dyslexia project. I am very excited about this. I will be sending out some initial samples to my dyslexic friends from accross the world to get some feedback from them.

I was selected to go on the Ignite Programme run buy the Socail Enterprise Academy next week. it was quite competetive and I was chuffed to be selected. The only problem is funding to pay for it. Some of you who follow my blog will remember we fostered two children over the summer. They were 2 and 14 years old at the time and are our great neices. Their mum, our neice, was ill, the kids needed a home and we were glad to be of help. It meant I had to stop working and put Dyslexia Pathways on the back burner for a couple months. The social services were about as useful as a chocolate watch and no help at all. However, it meant I lost two months income and we had extra costs for looking after the kids. Hence the difficulty with money at the moment. I will not get paid for the work I am doing now until the end of November and we are struggling financially right now. Of course it didn't help we had to pay out just under £300 for the car MOT and the work needed to get the car through the MOT.

Its very frustrating because the course is just what we need at this time to help us push forward our new ideas for Dyslexia Pathways. Sigh the academy are being very helpful with costs but even then we need about £300 to pay for travel and substance costs and for some of the course. I am still looking around at other options here but time is running out. But if I have not resolved this funding problem by wednesday i will probably have to cancel.

Below is an outline of the course:

You are running a social enterprise full of potential...

How can this potential be unlocked? And where do you find the time in your demanding schedule?
For one weekend only the Academy is bringing together 18 entrepreneurs from across Scotland to scale up their social enterprises.
There will be surgeries with finance, business and marketing experts and talks from inspirational individuals. This dynamic programme will develop your understandings about your venture and yourself. And most importantly you will leave with a plan to ignite your business.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore approaches for scaling up your enterprise
• Recognise the reasons for your success so far
• Receive 1:1 coaching and surgeries with experts in methods of growth through sales, acquisition and franchising
• Clarify your vision and strategy
• Share and reflect with peers on the challenges of leading growth
• Investigate potential development tools
• Depart with a real plan of action

Ignite has allowed us the time and support to develop and flesh out a future development plan. This has evolved significantly from what existed prior to Ignite.”
Andy Ross, New Caledonian Woodlands

funny the things that happen to a dyslexic

https://www.gofundme.com/DyslexiaPathwaysCIC



I  qualified as an inclusive education teacher oh wayyy wayyyyy back in 1995. I went to the Bolton Institue of Higher Education and took a years PGCE and I really loved the course and working with the student's on the course. I originally applied to do the PGCE course in Greenwich London I lived in London it made sense to do the course there. However I didn't get on the course can't remember why not. I later found out that someone from Bolton didnt get on the PGCE in Bolton but got into Greenwich.

Obviously I passed the course and thus began my teaching career working with students with learning and / of physcal disabilities. This meant I could be working with tetrapleigic students one day and students with mental health issues the next.

Part of my job including providing pre course tests for students to ensure they had the right level of english and maths to get on a course of an appropriate level. I won't get into the rights and wrongs of this right now. However, I came accross quite a few young people discribed as disaffected learners. This is a euphamism for students who hadn't achievde at school for whatever reason, who were disruptive and or who had gotten into trouble with the police etc. All of them had left school without any qualification what so ever.

The testing showed that many of the student's were not able to attend courses they wanted to attend because of this. Oh yes they could take more basic level english or maths classes but could take any practical based courses because none existed. Almost all these students didn't want to take the basic english and maths courses. They had already tried to do this in school and had failed but they did want to do other courses. Engineering kept on being mentioned when i was talking with them.

At the time I was teaching what were then called vocational access courses so I designed a vocational access course in engineering for these students. It enabled students to do things like mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and sound engineering etc. Oh yes english and maths was in there too but it was all based around what they were doing on the course. It was relevent to the students. In the first year we took on a cohort of 12 students.

The hardest part of all this for me was training the engineering teachers in inclusion because none had ever really worked with disaffected students or with many disabled students for that matter. So it was all new for them, some felt a course for students who struggled with the basics of english and maths had no validity but others really got into the whole inclusion agenda.

I taught the english and maths side of the course which was fine but I had to learn a lot about engineering to make the learning in class relevent to the students. It soon became obvious to me because of my own dyslexia that over half the students were dyslexic. I needed to do some specialist dyslexia training. It was the start or my journey to specialising in dyslexia.

The college where I was working at the time provided this specialist training and it was fantastic. But I must have become the most tested person for dyslexia. As I was the only dyslexic on the course my classmates all gave me dyslexic tests lol. Then there was the teacher taking the course. I would be writing away or answering a question and the teacher would suddenly put one finger on her nose poing to me with another finger and exclaim to the whole class, "See look this is how a dyslexic would do this or that". Looking back on it now I can laugh but at the time it was quite disconcerting.

Anyway thats how I started my career as a dyslexia specialist.

Getting back to the students I was working with on the engineering course all passed and went on to other courses in engineering.

new students new challanges

Hey hey today I am meeting with five new dyslexic students accross five one hour sessions. Its quite intense for the students and for myself. Everyone will be different, will have different life experiences of being dyslexic. All will have broken through many barriers and worked very hard to get into university. Thats what barriers are there for....to be broken through

I got the first few drafts for the new logo for a new project I am working on from our new volunteer today. Looks very promising to me. Its great to finally see an idea that I have had in my head for ages being brought into the real world. Not quite like giving birth maybe but frustrating never the less.

The next stage will be looking for a little funding to take this particular idea further. I have some ideas for possible funders here.

more good news and a little personal stuff

Well we got a request for some dyslexia awareness training today which is always good news. I put together a new information page to be added to a few internet sites as well. I have a meeting on Friday to discuss a bespoke training package.

I had a very positive meeting with a new volunteer yesterday. He is also dyslexia and a graphic artist. He is going to be working on some new designs I have for a new idea. This is all about enabling dyslexics to take ownership of their dyslexia and raising awarness of the positives of dyslexia.

On a personal note some of you will know I have a hypothyroid condition complicated by type 2 diabeties. Both are a genesis condition. Well I visited the foot clinic today and got great results no problems with my feet....wooohooooo.

Its funny I am always ready to chat about my dyslexia but never happy talk  about the thyroid lol Its call hashimotos disease which basically means I have an over active auto immune system thats attacking my thyroid, Its the same for the diabeties my auto immune system is attacking my pancreas.

I have to take medication everyday to control it sigh. I hate tablets lol and I hate doctors. When I talk to them I can feel my lips moving, I can hear sound coming from my mouth but the doctors do not seem to register the sound.

keys

Ok another question for dyslexics :

Which of you are good a losing your keys and terrible at finding them?

Dyslexic community?

Ok questions and please answer:

Is there a dyslexic community?

If not do we need to build one?

You answers may depend on you own definition and experience of community
But if we use the definition:
      

"A community is not just a group of people bounded by a geographical links, such as a village, settlement or district, but also includes those brought together by lifestyle, religion, hobby, interest, etc"

 

Please let me know what you think?

 

I would like to believe that we do have a dyslexic community but I do not think we actually have one.

wow and ouch lol

Well just got a call to say my application to get on to the intensive four day Ignite course run by the Social Enterprise Academy has been accepted. Blimey have to scrabble about to find the £400 or so pounds to pay for the course and personal expenses.. I have two maybe three weeks to find it sigh. Its the right programme for my personal and cpmpany development.

Great news

Here is a copy of a newspaper article about Heriot Watt University here in Scotland. Dyslexia Pathways supplies dyslexia support services to its students. I am happy to read that we have been a small part of the team of dedicated professionals and staff responsible for this success:

"Heriot-Watt University: Scottish University of the Year
Heriot-Watt was said to have the best student experience of any
university in the UK

Heriot-Watt University has been named as Scottish University of the Year
by the Sunday Times University Guide for the second year running.

The Edinburgh-based university was also named as being the best for student experience in the UK.

It comes in the same week as students awarded the university the title of Scotland's best in the National Student Survey.

The annual student survey also ranked the university fourth best in the UK.

This was up from 29th last year.

Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Steve Chapman, said: "Being Scottish University of the Year, number one in UK for student experience and voted number one in Scotland by students is a fantastic hat-trick.

"At Heriot-Watt, we put great effort into exceptional student experience by striving to consistently deliver excellent facilities, teaching, and
support services.

"These positive results represent a real strength of feeling among our students and real professionalism on the part of the staff."

Mike Ross, president of Heriot-Watt University Student Union, added:
"These results represent the excellent work that has been done by
students and staff working together to enhance the student experience."

happy in my dyslexic skin

Dyslexia is a double edged sword. Gift for some a nightmare for others. Me I am very happy in my dyslexic skin many are not. Thats why I set up Dyslexia Pathways to enable other dyslexics to be more comfortable and happy in their dyslexia skin in a non dyslexic world..

Rush rush rush

I contacted the Social Enterprise Academy on Wednesday to find out about any new courses I might be able to apply for. Was told about their Ignite programme which looked very interesting to me. Only problem I have to complete and send in a form by the following day.

Of course I was in Edinburgh all day working the following day and didn't get home till very late and just didnt have any time to complete the form.. I got up at 5am this morning and competed the form. Now I like to take my time with any writing I do. I like to plan, to focus my ideas and do all those dyslexic thinks that enable us to write more effectively and efficiently.

Then there is the nightmare of proof reading......I do not know why I can proof read for students but just cannot do it for myself. It didn't help that the form itself was very dyslexia unfriendly as well in my opinion. All little boxes and small fonts sigh. A good 90% of any forms I have to complete, or applications I have to make are still dyslexia unfriendly.

I wanted to phone them and give them my thoughts on how uninclusive their course application forms are lol. To be fair the form didn't require a lot of information only 1200 words or so. Its lucky I had all the information required in my head lol.

Ok after getting up at 5am and slogging over this course applicaton form and sending it off. I receive a bounce back message telling me they are out of office till Monday lol So I will have to call them at 9am and see if I got my completed form in on time. Hopefully it will be ok and I will not have spent 3 hours completing this form needlessly.

Guest blog

Please come and read my guest blog on the RASP website. RASP publishing the work of dyslexic writers since 2007

another day another dollar

I met with a new student last week He is not dyslexic but does have a disability. He needed some support with his dissertation. We did a couple of hours last week looking at the literature review which was the main problem. We discussed this together through a self reflective learning session and reached an agreement on what needed he needed to do and stratagies for doing it. Then I basically showed him a couple of times what he needed to do. We then we did a bit more of the work together and finally I let him carry on with it himself to show me he understood what I was asking hime to do. At the end of his session we set his goals for the next support session.

Today he came back looking much happier. He had achieved the goals set and his literature review is much better. One more happy student for me more to the point a happier student.

I have the form to fill in for the Ignite Programme when I get home. It has to be completed and handed back tomorrow so time is tight. Its when I have to react to events that the dyslexia issues impact. I will not have time to plan as well as I would like. I don't have nearly enough time to proof read as I would like.

On the plus side I do have everything there in my head that I need to write, all the ideas are there and that is a very big plus side.

I have a linked in account and am a member of a number of groups there. I found a discussion about writing funding bids and letters etc. One person was harping on about correct grammar and how it irked him when bids and letters were not written in a queens english style. A few contributors admited they just discarded out of hand anything they felt didn't conform to their standards of english.

I read this with dismay because it is so short sighted and discriminatory. Now I understand the need to have writing standards and the need to communicate ideas on funding bids as clearly possible. But english grammar is a specialist subject on its own and at a rough guess about 90% of the population do not know the exact ins and outs of english grammar.

Seems crazy to me to think that some funders will potentially accetp a poor idea for funding bid on the basis it uses a level of english grammar they see as acceptible. On the other hand they could potentially turn down a great idea because of issues with grammar and correct usage queens english that meets their personal standards.

I have written many funding bids, some successful some not, and each one has taken a lot of work on my part. To think someone might discard my bid in such a cavalier fashion gets on my threpenny bits.

Growing pains lol

I have an opportunity to go on the Ignite Residential Course described below. Only problem is I do not have the funds to attend. I think it might cost around £400 for the whole course and to pay for transport. Only fly in the ointment I do not have the cash to pay for it. Had we not fostered the kids we might have been able to afford it. I am not moaning about it I would not have had it any other way. The kids needed us and thats that. But it meant I had to close Dyslexia Pathways for a couple of months to support the kids. I will still apply for the course you never know something might turn up

It seems dyslexics make great entrepreneurs. Studies show that 20% of  entreprenurs in the UK are dyslexis and 35% are in the US. It would be cool to do a study to find out how many dyslexic social entrepreneurs. I have done the whole social entrepreneur bit starting up Dyslexia Pathways and I already provide dyslexia support to students studying at university.

I know when I was starting up Dyslexia Pathways there was a lot of support to access. However, there was none specifically geared towards supporting dyslexic entrepreneurs. I would like to support dyslexic entrepreneurs and enable them to succeed and this course would be a useful one to be on. Still there is always next year.

Ignite Residential 2012
You are running a social enterprise full of
potential.
How can this potential be unlocked?
And where do you find the time in your
demanding schedule?
For one weekend only the Academy is bringing
together 18 entrepreneurs from across Scotland
to scale up their social enterprises.
There will be surgeries with  nance, business and
marketing experts and talks from inspirational
individuals. This dynamic programme will
develop your understandings about your venture
and yourself. And most importantly you will leave
with a plan to ignite your business.

Progress

Have begun my dyslexia support work at one uni this week and will be starting next week at the other uni. I have found someone with some graphic design talent who is going to take my rough ideas for a logo for my new idea forward. I have been kicking this idea around for some time and it feels good to have got moving with it.

I believe I have found one new director for Dyslexia Pathways. I know she will be a great asset to Dyslexia pathways as she has a wealth of experience is docial enterprise, funding and networking.

Now all I have to do is find someone to take on the redevleopment of the Dyslexia Pathways web site. Its quite static not very interactive and I would like to make it much more social media / interactive / a place to share all things dyslexic. This means the main focus is that the site still remain as dyslexia / disability friendly as possible.

I am going to apply for the Aspire Programme here in Fife.....well I will be once I can find out more about it and if Dyslexia Pathways or myself are suitable for the programme.

I was planning to go to the Fife Independent Disability Network AGM today but the weather has cause a few problems with transport links. So I might not be able to get there.

Ah yes its that time of year again......MOT and car insurance time. Last year my car incurance cost around £200 fully comp..........But this year the same company has quoated just a little over £500. The reason being my wife wis hit by a deer on the motor way. I dont think Jenesn Button could have avoided the accident. A total fluke accident and I was not even in the car at the time. So I have been searching around for new quotes and got the cost down to £300. Much better and more managable.......can't do without a car in Scotland in my line of work.  

what were my options?

I am a well qualified dyslexia and inclusive education specialist with an excellent career in teaching. When I move to Scotland after being made redundant to look after my mum I searched long and hard for teaching work. I couldnt even find one hours teaching. One person I spoke to at an interview told me that I would never teach in scotland because I didn't have any experience of teaching in Scotland.
When I was looking around for other options I chatted with many dyslexics looking for work and discovered there is totally no support for dyslexics looking for work. There is a need for my skills but no dyslexia jobs within education or training.

That why I founded Dyslexia Pathways now we have contracts to supply dyslexia support serivces to two unis up here. At least this way I can still use my training and experience to work with dyslexics who need support.

My other options were nil as far as I could see. There is no way I can afford to pay for retraining in a different profession. My own disabilities stop me from doing manuel work. Couldn't even apply for benefits because my wife ears to much. Just over the limit that excludes me from benefits.

My options were 0 but I am glad I founded Dyslexia Pathways. I do not earn a fortune maybe a quarter of what I earned as a senior lecturer but at least I am still doing what I love supporting other dyslexics and enableing thim to succeed.

politics in the uk if it were not true it would be funny

There was something on the news about party leadership satisfaction ratings. Nick Clegg was -51, Cameron was -27 and the labour leader, what ever his name is was -9. In other words we have a complete shower of sh........ you know what, running political partys here in the UK  Thats the lowest cumulative score in history lol. Then there was a pole of least trusted professionals with bankers coming third, journos coming seconds and yes you guessed it politicians coming first.

trying to move thing forward.

 

I have been thinking of setting up a crowd funding appeal for Dyslexia Pathways to raise funds for our work and developing our ideas. However, it looks like a lot of work to keep going and I am not sure I could do it on my own.

I met with a young person who is struggling on a distance course yesterday. The mum has payed around £1400 for t he course and cannot really afford to pay for any dyslexia support. I have offered her a couple of hours study skills support free of charge. She really need maybe 15 to 20 hours but i cannot give that much time free of charge and I have paid work to do for Dyslexia Pathways.

I have three or four new projects to move forward such as the positve image dyslexia awareness project. I have just put ad advert on the CVS site for a volunteer graphic artists to develop my designs.

I am hoping to interest a univeristy in my dyslexia mentoring scheme and will be trying to sell them the idea in a week or so. ...

 Then there is the dyslexia phone app and games. As well as trying to develop our website into a more interactive social media site. For that I have again put in an ad for a volunteer with an IT / website development background who may be able t o move this forward.

Think the next step is advertiing on the CVS site for directors. People who would want to get involved with possible fund raising ideas as well as all the ideas above.

 

I met wih a prospective new volunteer yesterday who may be willing to assisst with admin tasks and proof reading my documents and learning materials.

finding it difficult to be optomistic here

I would love to be optimistic here but successful as the Paralympics was it will fade into the annals of history very quickly. We have a government hell bent of making life much harder for disabled people in all areas of their lives. They together with the press are using negative and often misleading information to portay disabled people as benefit scrounging scum incapable of making any positive contribution to society. It seems to be going down very well in the non-disabled world and to me and the condems see it as a no brainer vote winner. Protests against ATOS continue to go unreported in the press and on TV. Figures for hate crimes perpetrated against disabled people are on the up and thats just the ones that are actually reported. For every 1 reported I would suggest 3 are not. This is a best guess figure based on my experience working with disabled students as an inclusion specialist teachet 13 years ago. Sorry its so pessimestic and believe me I hate being so but thats how I see it I am afraid. Frankly I feel nothing but distain for this despicible government and shocked at how quickly the tollerence of the non disabled british public evaporated.

new condem exam

Thats me had my little say on the Wright Stuff about the new exams being introduced to replace GCSEs. As far as i can see this new exam will not only fail dyslexic kids but over 80% of kids in school. They will not sit any exam whatsoever and just get a reference from the school on leaving school. Crazy as many kids will just give up on school because once they have been excluded from taking this ...new exam why bother working at school.

Already we see so many dyslexic and other kids with literacy issues languishing in our prisons. Is that the future we want to see for even more of our kids?

When i did my O levels many years ago I already knew I had no chance and just stopped attending at 14. I wasn't until I was assessed as being dyslexic 20 years later that I discovered that wasn't daft or stupid and that I was able to learn on an academic level.

Now I am a dyslexia and inclusion specialist, I have founded my own social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways and now I work with other dyslexics who schools have still failed them.

support you employees and unleash their potential

Well budgets are tight for all businesses, particularly training ones. But every business benefits from a  healthy and motivated staff. They are more productive, less likely to take time off due to illness and stress. A business can also serve its dyslexic / disabled customers more effectively by being dyslexia and disability friendly. Dyslexia is recognised as a disability under the disability discrimination act. Employers are required under this legislation to support disable and dyslexic staff by making reasonable adjustments. Dyslexia Pathways run regular dyslexia awareness training sessions which can be run for whole organisations or in groups with people from other organisations. This is probably the first step in raising awarness of dyslexia. Then its about providing a safe environemnt where staff can discuss any dyslexia / disability disclose they are dyslexic / disabled. Maybe have a named person in HR where people feel able and comfortable to disclose. I know it is not easy for small organisation to do this but the benefits from supporting disabled and dyslexic staff far outweigh the negatives. There is support available for employers to support dyslexic / disabled staff through the government Access to Work scheme. They can provide funds to buy assistive tech software if it required for dyslexic and disabled staff. Last time I worked with Access to Work they were able to provide 90% of the costs towards equipment for dyslexic / disabled staff. Businesses, training organisations, charities have to remember that 20% of the uk population is disabled, around 10% are dyslexic. Meeting their needs effecitvely can increase business turnover and enhance corporate image. So it makes sound business sense to be dyslexia / disablity friendly. Finally dyslexia friendly solutions can benefit non dyslexic staff. For example some dyslexics can benefit from using different colour background colours on computers. It not only enables a dyslexic to work more effectively it could help non dyslxic staff avoid eyestrain. This is a simple and free solution. Not all solutions cost money and solutions that do cost money there is support from Access to Work.

Access to work scheme

The Access to Work scheme gives you and your employer advice and financial support with extra costs which may arise because of your needs.

You had to be in employment to apply for Access to Work and that means declaring a disability to employers which many people are not happy to do especially those with a hidden disability. I developed a project, funded by the Learning and Skills Council, designed to provide free dyslexia screening and assessment for staff, including teachers. I was employed as co-coordinator for dyslexia support at the college and have a very positive attitude towards dyslexia. We screened over 300 members of staff, assessed 23 members of staff as dyslexic and provided training in dyslexia friendly work practices as well as support with Access to Work. But, even after the project had ened and even though we had exceeded targets by 200% most of the staff assessed still did not want to declare it to their managers. Most said it was because they feared declaring they were dyslexic would impact on their careers.

 On the downside when I applied for Access to Work the same college made me sign a waiver stating that if I left the job they would keep all the technology from Access to Work. When I was made redundant they did indeed keep the technology including a laptop and assistive software. This in turn impacted on my ability to seek new employment and on future applications for access to work. I do not believe dyslexia to be a disability for many dyslexics. It is society and employers who disable and this employer by keeping the assistive technology disabled me. Access to Work or my union were willing to help me with this situation.

additional information on changes to Access to Work

Access to Work have extended the services they offer -  For example, until recently people who were working but not earning were not eligible - but now people on work placements or unpaid internships are. Also, they will carry out an assessment with an unemployed disabled person, agree what adjustments that person might need in the workplace, and write a letter that the candidate can show to prospective employers explaining what (if any) equipment might be required and confirming that Access to Work would cover the costs.

Now I am not sure if this applies to all of the UK though and this is something I only read about today

weird but true lol

Wierdest self referral for dyslexia support I ever had was during my operation for a hernia in my stomach. I had been given my pre med and rolled into the anaethestist and he started asking me about being dyslexic and how he could access support from me lol.

ATOS be praised NOT!

News just in.........ATOS has replaced Lourdes as the place for the sick and disabled seeking a miracle cure. Thousands from all over the world receive blessings from ATOS miracle doctors and they do not even have to lay hand on you before declaring you fit for work

misconceptions of dyslexia

One of the most challenging parts of being dyslexic is the misconception that it makes people unintelligent or slow. At Dyslexia Pathways we believe it is time to stop classifying dyslexia as a learning disability rather it is a learning difference. The dyslexic brain needs to be fostered and nurtured rather than corrected and remediated.   

dyslexia in Fife?

Was at an event if Fife the other day doing my best to raise a more enabling and positive profile of dyslexia. Have to say 90% or the people I spoke to running organisations in Fife were all interested in the issue but no funds to deal with it. Dyslexia Pathways has won business with organisations in Dundee, Edinburgh and Tayside. I am beginning to think dyslexia does not exist in Fife.

funding for my ideas

I have been considering crowd funding as a means to raise funds to develop some new ideas I have for Dyslexia Pathways. Its a big undertaking involving a lot of work. Pretty certain I couldn't do it all myself especially now the universties are back and my dyslexia support work will keep me very busy and trying to drum up business for my dyslexia awareness training courses.

broken brain?

I totally disagree with the whole medical model cognitive deficites there is something wrong with our brain idea. This takes us down the road of medicating dyslexics finding a cure for dyslexia which I totally disagree with. I for one do not want to be medicated, do not feel the need to be cured. Indeed I celebrate my dyslexia for all the positive attributes it gives me. I am happy in my dyslexic skin. I see dyslexia as a difference rather than a disability. Dyslexia becomes an issue in non dyslexic world when we start school. Where we are not taught in ways that enable many of us to access the learning. It is why so many dyslexics fail at school. Not because they are not intelliegent enough or have cognitive deficites. They are to unable to access the learning effectively because it is done it a totally dyslexia unfriendly way.

happy in my dyslexic skin

Being dyslexic is like being punched on the nose by the invisible man, we can feel the effects we can see the results of the punch but we don't know where it came from. There has been so much research into the causes of dyslexia and so little progress. We still cannot agree on any definition for dyslexia, we have a myriad of theories but little solid evidence on why people are dyslexic . I think you are right Graeme start at the end and work back. A dyslexic student will come for support and I am presented with someone who has lived a lifetime as a dyslexic. We work together to develop stratagies that will enable them to become more effective and efficient learners. Moreover, we can then explore how dyslexia may have impacted their learning in school, on their confidence and self esteem and hopefuly enable them to become more comfortable and confident in their dyslexic skin.

how can we vote for inclusion?

So who do disabled people vote for in the next UK election? But whats the choice Labour? nope......the condems again?........nope............. the conservatives?............ nope the lib dems.........nope........ its all the same shit just a different colour. We as disabled people need to take our fight into parliament by becoming a political party. Just under eleven million people voted comservative in 2010 and there are over 11 million disabled people in the UK. We need a social justice party to fight for disabled people's right live in dignity, without fear and with inclusion.

the wright stuff

Wooo hooo had my say on The Wright stuff  taling about the legacy of the paralympics. Got in a lot about what ATOS and our governement are doing to disabled people.

political errelevance

The most irrelevant man in british politics Nick "the git" Glegg. Oh my hero NOT lol I feel better already pmsl.

Weird event?

Hmmmm weird three passenger jets just flown overhead in a v formation and quite low too. Never seen that before in my life. Time 13.39 pm Glenrothes Fife Scotland

suffer with dyslexia ME? never!!!!!

Read yet another article which talks about dyslexia sufferers. Drives me crazy every time I read stuff like this.

 

I certainly do not suffer with dyslexia but I do suffer with are non dyslexics and dyslexia specialists telling me I am disabled.

 

Without dyslexia I don't believe I would have been a good teacher, an entrepreneur, musician, creative, great problem solver and determined.

 

I am an individual who happens to be dyslexic.

barriers

Society places many barriers in front of all us dyslexic, disabled, non disabled, black, white etc. I should know as a dyslexic I have had to break through enough of them. But the hardest barriers to break through can be the ones we place in front of ourselves.

an insect in amber

Sometimes I feel like an insect in amber powerless to move forward just able to look backward. When I feel like this I become frustrated and angry with myself because I don't do standing still very well.

It's crazy really because if I look back honestly I can see that I have achieved so much and come so far. Yet somehow its never enough there is always something more I can do.

Everything I want to do just moves along at the speed of a growing gacier when I want things to move on at the speed of sound.

Always one more barrier to break through or one more hurdle to leap over. I have broken through so many, made a myriad of leaps but its never enough.

I am not sure if I will ever get to where I want to be but then again where is it that I want to get to?

Daft the kind of thoughts that go through your mind on a wet Saturday afternoon.

lol

mentoring

I have a meeting set up with the Scottish Mentoring Network about the mentoring idea for dyslexic kids I have. I have nearly finished writing a project proposal to set up a pilot project as well. I know there are a lot of people who would like to become mentors on this project. All I have to do now is sell the idea to Abertay Uni which I will endevour to do in September.

Fife Social Enterprise Event

Fife Policy Breakfast 23^rd August 2012
Ore Valley Business Centre, 93 Main Street, Lochgelly

Its always great to meet up and chat with other social entrepreneurs and hear how things are going for them in these challangeing financial times.

Here are just some of the things discussed at the event.

Fraser Kelly, CEO of Social Enterprise Scotland gave an overview of some of the key policy areas currently facing social enterprises.  These include:

·         Welfare reform

·         Self directed support

·         Employability

·         Local authority procurement

·         Capacity building / scalability

 

One thing which did raise very real concerns for me was this:

Local authority procurement

Cllr David Ross raised that Fife Council have a £50m funding gap for providing services and they are looking to social enterprise as a solution.  Various questions and comments ensued including:

·         Do Fife Council see social enterprise as a cheap option or do they see it as a cost effective alternative? If so, are they prepared to invest in social enterprise?

o   Fife Council confess that they are looking to social enterprise as a necessity but also feel it will create opportunities.

o   Fife council have recently cut some contracts with social enterprises, including My Bus shopping service.

·         Social enterprise still feels excluded from procurement opportunities as normally it cannot compete with bids from large private sector firms who have better resources and expertise in completing tender processes. 

o   Could councils include a ‘local supplier’ clause to weight in favour of local organisations bidding?

o   Community benefit clauses should be included.

o   Do social enterprises highlight their social benefits enough? Probably not.

·         Capacity to deliver local authority contracts is often a problem for social enterprises.

o   There are plenty social enterprises who can and do deliver, such as Recycle Fife.

o   Partnerships could be considered by local social enterprises in order to deliver a large contract.

o   Small private forms face the same capacity problems.

 

This may be the source of opportunities for social enterprises provided we can compete with the private sector. If social enterprise cannot we might be in trouble.