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