Wednesday 30 April 2014

hey hey bloggers how are your bellies for spots? lol

Good morning blog readers hope you are all well. I have been up since 3.30 am this morning working on various things. Went to bed at 11 pm, woke up at 2.30 am and I just couldn't switch my brain off. Its like I don't have a choice I have to do some work lol. So I have been reading blogs, catching up on what others have written as well as responding to blogs and questions.

The big news here is the Unique Dyslexic website is finished as far as content goes and is ready for publication. Gawd, I thought this day would never get here lol. The web developer has to do some work and search engines and web analytics, what ever that is. Its a little rough around the edges but once we have had the training we can polish up the site ourselves.

I had to write two reports for funders of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative. Both of which were very positive. Just have to wait for feedback from Fife Creative Learning Network and Fife Cultural Trust now. Have to give them a big bagful of thanks for the funding which enabled me to get Unique Dyslexic off the ground. I am thinking of approaching them about setting up an exhibition of dyslexic creative works here in Fife.

I have a couple of weeks away from the Uni work. Even when the unis do start up again there will be very little dyslexia support work for me. So I am making good use of the time to move forward with other things.

In my previous blog I mentioned I had a meeting with a representative from Ignite. Have to say it was a great meeting and it went very well. We outlined a plan of action for possible ways forward with Unique. This involves linking up with a university to see if we can work together on a way forward. Now it all seems very easy on paper but universities are busy places, they might think my ideas are rubbish lol. So we will have to see where this will take us.

Somebody from Just Enterprise called me yesterday. I had contacted them for some advice on income generation and sustainability. I want to make Unique self funding, ideally I would like to earn a living from this myself. Also about possible sources of funding for getting some Unique Dyslexic t shirts printed and finding a graphic artist to help realise my other logo designs. They have given me a way forward with the income generation and I have applied for business support. I am also looking at writing a funding bid with the postcode lottery for t shirt funding.

I am in the middle of writing a script / story board for a little movie I have to make for the Indiegogo crowd funding appeal. I think I would rather face a lorry load of crazed bowsers than do this sigh but it has to be done. Emmm for those who do not know Bowser is the baddie in Mario games lol.

We have put together two of the three Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshops. One will be based around making music and the other is called trash for treasure. I am still chatting with the visual arts people re their workshop. I have narrowed it down to three ideas. Anyway I have to get it sorted as soon as possible so we can start working on promoting the workshops.

Somebody suggested I apply to the Fred Edwards Trust Power of One scheme. So I did a little research and gave them a call. They are going to organise a time for a chat over the phone to fill in the application form for this. Which is really helpful one less form to fill in lol.

Fred Edwards knew that change happens when inspiring people inspire others. Both in his professional life, and as an active citizen, Fred was one of those inspirational people. That is why the Fred Edwards Trust has set up a new Fellowship – The Power of One: Inspiring people to become inspiring people. It will create unique learning opportunities and support for emerging citizen leaders in Scotland.

We will see where this takes us.......always chase your dreams

So far this morning I have made myself four cups of tea and each one of them has been left un-drunk and gotten cold. Sigh better luck this time.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Hi de hi campers lol

The hardest thing about writing a blog is finding a title........you can see from todays title how desperate I was lol. It might make some sense to some blog readers in the UK. Not sure about anywhere else. So here is a clue lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3ZwNEte3Dw

Yes about as funny as a kick up the bottom from a horse lol.

Personally I prefer this hi de hi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mq4UT4VnbE

I have been working hard on the new Unique Dyslexic web site populating it with images, text, music etc. Its a slow business sending it all off to the web developer, waiting for them to add it to the site and them reviewing it. Can't wait for the training that comes with this web site. Toolkit will provide training for myself and two directors.

Toolkit are also setting up a Unique Dyslexic facebook page for us as well. Our current Facebook page is for a group and is quite time consuming to administrate.

A Groups provides a closed space for small groups of people to communicate about shared interests. Groups can be created by anyone. Pages allow real organizations, businesses, celebrities and brands to communicate broadly with people who like them. Pages may only be created and managed by official representatives.

A Facebook page is the best option if you want to promote your business / project on Facebook. The reasons for this is that they include lots of customisation features so you can create special landing pages, newsletter sign up options, discount coupons, shopping carts and run competitions directly from Facebook, they are indexed in search engines like Google and anyone can ‘Like’ your page and invitation requests are not needed to be authorised which means less admin for you and more reach and visibility again.

Have to say the web site didn't come cheap but it was well worth the price and Toolkint have been very helpful. Stage one of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative web site is nearly done and it will soon be time to move onto stage 2.

Tomorrow I have two meetings. In the morning I have a meeting with a representative from Interface. Interface provides a central point of access to the expertise available in Scotland's Higher Education and Research Institutions. Interface will help your business by matching you to the right academic expertise.

In the afternoon I am meeting with the people who are going to run the music workshop for Unique Dyslexic Get Creative. Should have a good idea what is going to happen. So we can start putting together the promotional material for all three workshops.

I have been exploring possible funders to see it we can get a small amount of funding to develop the Unique Dyslexic t shirts. I think we have £200 available from the lottery funding to get around 35 printed up. We would like to hold a little graduation ceremony at the end of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative and the t shirts will be given to all those who took part.


Sunday 20 April 2014

Hellay and hulloo from sunny Glenrothes: weekly updates

Hi blog readers I know its Easter Sunday and it should be a day of rest but I have another very busy week ahead of me and may not have the time to write my blog during the week. Mind you that might be a good thing lol

Last week was very busy as usual. Had four days working with students with all the preparation and travel that involves.

Have been working with one of my directors focussing on the next three Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshops. I think we will be able to move onto the planning stage with all three people delivering the workshops in a couple of weeks.

I know I did say the Unique website was going to be up and running by April 15th. Well as you know there was no fanfare because we were not able / ready to go. Everything just takes so much time to get right. However, I have spent the weekend organising and sending in content to the web developer for inclusion on the web site. The plan is to get that all on the site and then launch it as is and then continue to work on the bits that need more work.

The problem is I am doing the whole thing with the web presence thing from Facebook to website on a voluntary basis. The work is being done as and when I have time. I was up at 2.30 Saturday morning and working on the website until 8 am Saturday morning.

On Thursday I went into Edinburgh for half a days training on Applying Human Rights to Scotland run by the Human Rights Consortium Scotland. I have a lot of interest in dyslexia in relation to human rights and education. Access to a education is one of the fundamental human rights and whilst we are not denied access to school we are not taught in was that enable so many of us to succeed at school.

Have to say the training was very interesting, learned a lot about human rights, a lot of which I must say I didn't know about. The project is called after article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights:

I am now a Human Rights Advocate and here is my certificate to prove it:


The training took place in St Augstine's Church on George the forth bridge:



As you can see the church has been there for many years. The training took place in the bowels of the church. It was a bit like stepping back into World War 2 looking like a set from Dad's Army lol.

I took the time to have a walk about in Edinburgh and took a few photos while I was there. Edinburgh is a beautiful city:


 Here is the Scottish National Gallery


Scott's Monument in Princes Street gardens


In the distance you can just about see Edinburgh Castle

Here is a photo of the new trams

There was also an open air exhibition to do with a science fair I think. Now here are some images from that exhibition:



4
 
 
Anyway that's enough from me take care 


Thursday 17 April 2014

Dyslexia and education: A human rights issue? of course it is.....

An education board failed in its duties to identify specialist teaching needed by a nine-year-old dyslexic boy, a High Court judge has ruled.

Mr Justice Treacy made the ruling in the case taken by the child's mother.

He confirmed that direct literacy teaching should be made available sooner than proposed.

The court challenge was over the time being taken by the unidentified board to provide the support set out in an educational psychology assessment.

Lawyers for the boy argued that new criteria were applied without ratification when it changed his arrangements.

They claimed the decision was improperly motivated by saving resources, breached the child's human rights, and failed to consider his legitimate expectation of receiving direct literacy support in September 2011.

Tests carried out on the boy established he was of average ability but had reading and spelling skills in the bottom 2% of children of his age.


We have 30 basic human rights according to Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These are human rights the British government have signed up to protect and cherish. Can you work out how many of our human rights this condem government and its austerity programme have violated or threatened to violate. 

We see a lot of negative and hostile reporting about human rights law in the UK press. But which one would you give up?

1. We are all free and equal. We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.

2. Don’t discriminate. These rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences.

3. The right to life. We all have the right to life, and to live in freedom and safety.

4. No slavery – past and present. Nobody has any right to make us a slave. We cannot make anyone our slave.

5. No Torture. Nobody has any right to hurt us or to torture us.

6. We all have the same right to use the law. I am a person just like you!

7. We are all protected by the law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly.

8. Fair treatment by fair courts. We can all ask for the law to help us when we are not treated fairly.

9. No unfair detainment. Nobody has the right to put us in prison without a good reason and keep us there, or to send us away from our country.

10. The right to trial. If we are put on trial this should be in public. The people who try us should not let anyone tell them what to do.

11. Innocent until proven guilty. Nobody should be blamed for doing something until it is proven. When people say we did a bad thing we have the right to show it is not true.

12. The right to privacy. Nobody should try to harm our good name. Nobody has the right to come into our home, open our letters or bother us or our family without a good reason.

13. Freedom to move. We all have the right to go where we want in our own country and to travel as we wish.

14. The right to asylum. If we are frightened of being badly treated in our own country, we all have the right to run away to another country to be safe.

15. The right to a nationality. We all have the right to belong to a country.

16. Marriage and family. Every grown-up has the right to marry and have a family if they want to. Men and women have the same rights when they are married, and when they are separated.

17. Your own things. Everyone has the right to own things or share them. Nobody should take our things from us without a good reason.

18. Freedom of thought. We all have the right to believe in what we want to believe, to have a religion, or to change it if we want.

19. Free to say what you want. We all have the right to make up our own minds, to think what we like, to say what we think, and to share our ideas with other people.

20. Meet where you like. We all have the right to meet our friends and to work together in peace to defend our rights. Nobody can make us join a group if we don’t want to.

21. The right to democracy. We all have the right to take part in the government of our country. Every grown-up should be allowed to choose their own leaders.

22. The right to social security. We all have the right to affordable housing, medicine, education, and child care, enough money to live on and medical help if we are ill or old.

23. Workers’ rights. Every grown-up has the right to do a job, to a fair wage for their work, and to join a trade union.

24. The right to play. We all have the right to rest from work and to relax.

25. A bed and some food. We all have the right to a good life. Mothers and children, people who are old, unemployed or disabled, and all people have the right to be cared for.

26. The right to education. Education is a right. Primary school should be free. We should learn about the United Nations and how to get on with others. Our parents can choose what we learn.

27. Culture and copyright. Copyright is a special law that protects one’s own artistic creations and writings; others cannot make copies without permission. We all have the right to our own way of life and to enjoy the good things that “art,” science and learning bring.

28. A free and fair world. There must be proper order so we can all enjoy rights and freedoms in our own country and all over the world.

29. Our responsibilities. We have a duty to other people, and we should protect their rights and freedoms.

30. Nobody can take away these rights and freedoms from us.

Monday 14 April 2014

a good day

Hi blog readers hope you are all well and enjoying the day as much as I have been.

Just a very short blog today. I am making a little time for myself to relax and take it easy for a few days. Its been a pretty full on few weeks and I need the time away from the grindstone.

Monday the start of new week...........woken up by beautiful sunshine streaming through the bedroom window. Looked through the bedroom window to watch the birds flying around outside the window having their breakers and singing their dawn chorus.....Then it was a cuppa tea, feed the birds in the back garden and get on my way to work.

I had a very quiet day at work with no students having any real issues to deal with. They all seem to be on top of things. Very pleased by the progress made by one student who has conquered his procrastination and has become a much more organised and effective student. He now feels like he is bossing his work rather than the other way around.

I had planned to do a little work on the website today but went for a long walk after work instead. After I finish this blog I will be going for a walk to the local pub with my wife for a quite drink.

I have just set up a Unique Dyslexic you tube channel and downloaded one video from the first Unique Dyslexic workshop. Just a couple other Unique accounts to set up.

Did a little research on bespoke t shirt printers to find out how much it would cost to get some Unique Dyslexic t shirts printed. Tried calling a couple places but did not get any answer so will try again tomorrow.

Also started to organise meetings with people who will be running the music and visual arts Unique Dyslexic workshops. I am hoping the three workshops will be done and dusted by the end of August at the latest.

The day is ending at it started the sun is still shining and the birds are still singing in the gardens. A practically stress free day comes to an end.

take care guys

Thursday 10 April 2014

Just when I thought there was time for a little rest lol

Good day blog readers I hope you are all well.
 
Over the weekend I had a great meeting with Andrea Hughes with her PA and Ann Jones. Both Andrea and Ann are dyslexic. Andrea is doing a lot of work down in north Wales and promoting a more dyslexia positive profile through a training programme she has developed.

Whilst Ann is looking into providing dyslexia specific counselling services. Must say we had a very long chat with lots of ideas being discussed. Have to say get a room full of dyslexics together and watch out we could solve all the problems of the world in one go lol.
 
I have got a publication date for the Unique Dyslexic web site which as 15th April and before anyone says anything 2015 lol ooooops sorry I meant 2014.........I am getting very excited at seeing the site up and running FINALLY. I still have to sign up to a few social media sites under the Unique Dyslexic banner but that's about all.
 
We now have over 150 members on the Unique Dyslexic Facebook page so that's a little milestone passed. 
 
For the benefit of new readers of my blog:
 
The objective of the Unique Dyslexic Project is to

 support, promote and celebrate the creative talents
 
 
of dyslexic individuals across the full range of the
 
creative spectrum.
 
We invite anyone who is dyslexic, or thinks they are
dyslexic, to join the project and share their creative
ideas here including:

 actors, animators, sculptures, artists, comedians,
chefs, dancers, dreamers, engineers, entrepreneurs,
games designers, improvisers, information
technology geeks, inventors, film makers, musicians,
 photographers, poets,, song writers, story tellers,
 writers and visionaries.

 
You do not have to be diagnosed as dyslexic and we
welcome dyspraxic, dyscalculic, AD(H)D and
Aspergers) individuals to share their creative talents
on the Unique Dyslexic site also.
 
I have organised meeting with a representative from
an organisation called Interface which is about linking
up with a university to develop new ideas.
Something I am looking forward to tremendously
 
Had a very fruitful meeting with one of my directors
on Monday. We have decided the next three Unique
Dyslexic Get Creative workshops will focus on visual
arts, music and trash to treasure crafting. These
will be running over the summer 2014. Probably
between late May and August. So if anyone would
like to coma along to one of these free workshops
get your name in early.
 
Every workshop is free, travel expenses can be paid
and some funding can be provided to help with child
care costs. Lunch, tea and coffee will also be
provided free of charge.
 
Dyslexia Pathway CIC will be making an application
to the new Creative Scotland fund. This will be the
biggest funding bid we have made. I will let you all
know about this new project later.
 
I have finished writing the Indiegogo crowd funding
appeal. Now all there is to do is make a video lol
ouch..........
 
Now I am off to write two evaluations forms for the
 funding we won to get the Unique Dyslexic Get
Creative programme off the ground.
 

Saturday 5 April 2014

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 did 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. As for the writing itself sheesh it was a total mess.

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 lady step out and stop me then another one would step out and stop me as soon as the other had gone. I couldn't get any flow at all. 
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. 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 any exam writing like this?”  His comment took the gloss off the fact I got an A- for the assignment.

I moved to a different university for my second year and it was here I was assessed as being dyslexic. It was then I was given access to disabled students allowance to buy a computer and assistive technology. It was then I started my journey of discovery of my dyslexia. More importantly I didn’t have to do any writing by hand. I was finally liberated from that pen of thorns.

 

blogging on a wet Saturday morning


Hi ho blog readers hope you are all well.......The weather here in Fife has been manky for most of the week.....rain and damp  and yet more rain all week without a hint of sun at all.

I finished the blurb for the indiegogo crowd funding appeal apart from proof reading etc which will take me an age. I have to make a video for this sigh not something I am looking forward too. Still it has to be done and I have been toying with some ideas over the last couple of days. For the benefit of new readers I am seeking funding to realise logo designs for t shirts I have done as part of the Unique Dyslexic project. I am going to be seeking £2500 for this and to help pay for staffing costs for the project.

It seems like I do not have enough hours in the day for the Unique Dyslexic project and what with work and family I don't have much spare time at the moment. Still the Unique project is moving along at a pace. Its fast becoming a full time job in its own right. I keep on thinking of looking for volunteers but sigh but its not really possible right now.

I have a list of things to do which is as long as both my arms put together ouch. For example the whole social media thing which I feel is crucial for the success of the project needs to be more joined up.

If there is anyone out there with expertise in social media and who can offer some time to work on the project please contact me.  

I have a meeting with one of my directors on Monday to discuss options for two of the workshops. It looks like one will have a music focus and the other a visual arts one.

I am thinking about approaching Youth Theatre Arts Scotland to see if we cannot collaborate on something as part of the Unique Project.

I came to the conclusion the other day that I am no social media expert.......I am just a novice lol......must look for any courses on using social media more effectively. Or try and find a volunteer or volunteers to help run this area of the project.

For anyone interested here is how the Unique Website looks at the moment....well the front page anyways

http://www.dyslexiapathways.toolkitdemos.co.uk/

I have no idea how long the link will last for though.

I have been very busy yet again with my dyslexia support work........have been working with a lot of students preparing for exams........ouch I remember those stress, stress, stress and more stress lol. From next week the dyslexia support work will slow down. Especially over the Easter period when a lot of students will be going home. For the next three weeks I will not be doing any dyslexia support work for two days a week. So I will have some of time to catch up of things.

I met with a student I supported a couple of years on Thursday.....he is now looking to start his PhD have to say I was sooooo envious. Its an ambition of mine to take a PhD............... Still always good to meet with students makes all the work worth while.

Many thanks to anyone who took the time to read my blog....it is much appreciated.

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Progress and a bit of luck

Hi Blog readers hope you are all well

Finally, Dyslexia Pathways CIC has a new website and is back online. Its been done an a very tight budget and with the support of the web developer Bill Blenman who I would like to give a huge bunch of thanks to. There is still a little bit more proof reading and editing done but I thought this could be done once we get the Unique Dyslexic site up and running.

Here is the web address of the new Dyslexia Pathways CIC site:

http://www.dyslexiapathways.com/#

If anyone does visit the site and likes what they see and what it says please press the like button.
 
I know we need to work on accessibility and I will be looking to secure funding to enable this to be added at a later date.

Next step get the Unique Dyslexic site completed and by the end of this week.....I hope.......fingers crossed.

As for the bit of luck. I did a little entrepreneur survey. There was a small prize for one person who completed the survey chosen at random.

Hey guess what I won a £50 Amazon voucher yesterday morning......Now I thought maybe this was a scam so I phoned the company who sent the voucher talked with them. They reassured me everything was above board. But just to make sure I contacted Amazon online and got them the check the validity of the voucher. I even got some free advertising with the prize.

Hey hey it was valid. I must say the voucher was very well spent on a Dr Who DVD a Twilight Zone series 2 dvd and Super Mario 3d for my Wii U.

I have quite a busy week this week dyslexia support session, writing two evaluation form for funders of the Unique Dyslexic Project, writing the crown funding material and I am meeting with someone to chat about the work we do here.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my blog     and taking the time to like the new Dyslexia Pathways CIC site.