Details of three free creative workshops from Unique Dyslexic Get Creative

Are you dyslexic or think you are dyslexic? Age 16 or over and live in or near Fife why not come along to one of our three free Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshops? Many dyslexics are also creative individuals. If you would like to find out more about being creative and have fun being creative then the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is for you.

MUSIC CREATION RECORDING AND EDITING WORKSHOP

Come along to a free workshop on 18^th August 2014 at the Cupar Youth Cafe, Castlehill, Cupar, KY15 4HA. During this workshop you will learn basic music making, editing and recording techniques.   

The Cupar Youth Cafe is easily accessible by public transport and local car parking is also available. Lunch will be provided free of charge. Travel expenses will also be paid. If you have caring responsibilities, some help with the cost of this is available also.

This workshop is an introduction to basic music making, recording and editing techniques. Participants are welcome to bring along any musical instruments they play, but you don’t need to have an instrument or experience to take part and have fun in this workshop. Participants will be access to two recording set ups as well as microphones and synthesizers. Music tracks can also be composed and recorded using music sampling software that will enable participants to write a track in a style and genre of their choosing.

VISUAL ART WORKSHOP

Come along to a free Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshop on 26^th July 2014 at Dreel Halls, Anstruther KY10 2DJ from 10 am to 4 pm where you will have fun creating visual art.   

Dreel Halls are easily accessible by public transport and has on-site parking. Lunch will be provided free of charge. Travel expenses will also be paid. If you have caring responsibilities, some help with the cost of this is available also.

"Come and unleash your creative self! We will explore spontaneous sculpture making with objects and unusual materials, image making with lighting effects/ backdrops and create a final digital art print.

Please bring a few materials or random objects if you wish. You do not need any previous experience - as we are all artists really."

Artist and Facilitator: Gail McLintock (BA Hons), works across art forms and specialises in 'group production of art' and creative training for empowerment.

 

TRASH TO TREASURE WORKSHOP

 

Come along to a free workshop on 2^nd August 2014 at Furniture Plus, Castle Business Park, Queensferry Road, Dunfermline from 10 am to 4 pm where you will learn how to upcycle an old piece of furniture.   

Furniture Plus is easily accessible by public transport and has on-site parking. Lunch will be provided free of charge. Travel expenses will also be paid. If you have caring responsibilities, some help with the cost of this is available also.

This “Trash to Treasure” workshop is an introduction to upcycling, teaching you painting and simple upholstery techniques that will enable you to revamp a small of piece of furniture and turn it into a thing of beauty. The workshop, furniture and all resources are provided free of charge. This workshop is being run by Clarabella Christie and Furniture Plus organised and funded by Unique Dyslexic Get Creative.

 

Places are limited to 10 participants. For more information on this workshop or to book a place please contact Steve McCue:

E mail: steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com      Tel: 01592 756 187

You are invited to visit our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative web site at:

http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

Free dyslexia screening available to anyone attending the workshop

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative from Dyslexia Pathways CIC

 

 

 

I have been blogging like a crazy man today lol

My apologies its yet another blog entry from me. Gawd that's three is one day......maybe I should have a heart attack every week lol.

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 both dyslexic and non dyslexic. I am dyslexic therefor I am. Dyslexia is a very important part of me. In fact being dyslexic defines who I am as a thinking, emotional and intelligent human being.

Yes dyslexia has placed many barriers in front of me. However, many of those barriers have been placed there by society. All I can say about barriers is are there to be broken through and each barrier broken through has made me stronger and those struggles made me who I am today.

I am dyslexic ok so 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 a social entrepreneur etc. I doubt I would have been any of these if it were not for my dyslexia.

Given the choice between being a great speller of word or an organisational demon or my music or problem solving skills I would choose music and problem solving every time

I am dyslexic not ill and neither is my brain malfunctioning or abnormal. I do not want to be medicalised, remediated or cured. It is a non dyslexic society that disables dyslexics not dyslexia. I am dyslexic why should I be ashamed of that?

writing new music

Many dyslexics are creative people. Like many dyslexics I left school with no qualifications. Tried my hand at a few jobs but then started playing bass guitar and played in a number of bands for many years. I basically dropped out of society and had a great time for about 12 years. Around 1988 I gave up music just put down my bass guitar and moved on.

I started writing again about two years ago. I had put together enough music for a new album. But then my computer got wiped and I lost all the tracks. I don't do the music thing seriously though its like therapy and helps me get a balance between my dyslexia work, my dyslexia and life in general.

When we moved to our new house I put all my music stuff away in boxes and didn't touch it until a couple of months ago.

Here is a track I am currently working on 

https://soundcloud.com/raelthing/bassy5wav

This one is now finished apart from a bit of polishing:

https://soundcloud.com/raelthing/bassy5wav

I think the only problem I have with my own dyslexia and my dyslexia work is I tend to be driven and focussed and I push myself too hard. Music provides me with a distraction from this and it lets loose my creative side and it lets me have fun.

Also sharing my stuff on Soundcloud gives me access to some great music from other music both dyslexic and non dyslexic. But if you want to hear what other dyslexic musicians are doing why not come and visit my Unique Dyslexic musician's group:

https://soundcloud.com/groups/dyslexia-musicians-group

One of the reasons I set up Unique Dyslexic Get Creative was to get out into the community and give other dyslexics the opportunity to explore their own creative side.

We all need to take time out for ourselves is what I guess I am trying to say in a round about way.

completed Unique Dyslexic Get Creative t shirts

Good morning blog readers

I went into Kirkcaldy today to pick up the t shirts designed by myself for Unique Dyslexic Get Creative. I know someone should be modelling them but the missus is busy in the Garden with Layla. So my front room chair is doubling as a model.

I know printing on white is not exactly dyslexia friendly but there was only a small budget and the printing method used meant the t shirts that compromises had to be made.

Everyone who takes part in one of our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshops over the summer will receive a t shirt for free. I will say we only have a limited range of sizes.

Lots of work on for next week. I want to finalise the details for the last two Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshops.

I have a rather long form to complete for the Scottish innovation  certificate application form.

I also have to start putting together a story board for the film I am making for the dyslexic culture event. I have all the photos and a good idea of a script. I have a good hd digital film camera and the software to make the film.

I only wish I had someone here in Fife who could volunteer some time and work a camera for me.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog

Steve

getting back into the swing of things

Well one week ago today I had my heart attack, on Tuesday I had the operation to fit a stent in my heart and on Wednesday I was back home again. Very bruised but feeling very good. Have been walking everyday and getting on with a little work on Unique Dyslexic Get Creative.  I feel back to normal already and fighting fit. I have to go for a heart echo in a couple of weeks and probably start going to the gym as part of my recovery programme.

We have all but finalised dates for the music and visual arts workshops. We have decided not to use Fife college as a venue in favour of the Fife Youth Café in Cupar Fife. We just need to go and visit the café to make sure it is suitable for the music workshop.  I will be putting together some promotional material for these workshops next week.

We are currently promoting the Trash to Treasure workshop being held on August 2nd at Furniture Plus in Dunfirmline.

Before I had the heart attack I had meetings with two representative from two universities here in Scotland regarding the next stage of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative. Both have expressed an interest in taking my ideas forward. With one University we are going to apply for a social innovation voucher through the Scottish government for some funding to take it forward. The other has proposed looking for European funding.  I am very excited about both possibilities. Still it is still very early days with this idea.  

I have a question to all of you out there regarding social media. What bugs you about social media as a dyslexic or neuro diverse person. What would you like to see or have access to that would make your social media experience better and more accessible?

Today I am going to pick up the first batch of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative t shirts. Very excited about this.  

Finally a couple of requests:

Is there anyone out there who would like help us with running our Facebook pages. Basically to act as admins and get involved with out social media I would like to try and attract more people to both pages, to get us more likes and to generally support the work we do.

Secondly is there anyone out there who has experience of running / managing web sites. I am looking for a volunteer to help us with the Unique Dyslexic web site. Preferably any one with experience of running a web site. The Unique site was developed by Toolkit. Toolkit have offered free web master training which you might be able to access.

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is a new Dyslexia Pathways CiC project.

Dyslexia Pathways CiC: Being dyslexia positive

The objective of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is to support, promote and celebrate the creative talents of dyslexic individuals across the full range of 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, out of the box thinkers, writers and visionaries.

You do not have to be diagnosed as dyslexic and we welcome dyspraxic, dyscalculic, AD(H)D and Aspergers individuals etc to share their creative talents on our facebook pages and on our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative internet site. We welcome anyone from any other neuro-diverse communities to join in and get involved with the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is running 4 creative focussed workshops across Fife in 2014. These workshops are free and travel expenses and lunch will be provided. Each workshop will run for around 6 hours and will include short dyslexia awareness presentation on the social model of dyslexia and being dyslexia positive. These workshops are open to anyone who is dyslexic, think they are dyslexic is interested in finding out more about being creative from beginner to expert.

Indeed we have already run one very successful workshop on fused glass art in March this year. Other workshops will focus on recording and making music, visual art and furniture revamping.

Please find attached promotional leaflet on the furniture revamping workshop.

Free dyslexia screening will be available for people over the age of 16 attending the workshops.

Research indicates around 10% of the UK population are dyslexic. As a result many dyslexics feel isolated and there is no real tangible dyslexic community. The Unique Dyslexic project seeks to redress this by bringing them together in these workshops and through our social media where they can develop their creative talents and share experiences of being dyslexic, form friendships and a peer support group.

Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic Get Creative actively support and promote the social model of dyslexia and disability.

People taking part in this project can share their work either on the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Facebook group page or dedicated website.  If you would like to find out more about the Unique Dyslexic Project, you are cordially invited to join the Unique Dyslexic Facebook group page at the address below:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/unique.dyslexic/

Or our Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Unique-Dyslexic-Get-Creative/1431413910440768?ref_type=bookmark

Here is a link to our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative website:
 
http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

However, you do not have to attend any of the workshops to get your work showcased on our Facebook page and web site.

For more information:

E mail: steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com      Tel: 0159 756 187

 

well that was a bit of an adventure lol

Hi blog readers hope everyone is well. I have had an exciting few days lol. On Saturday 14th I got admitted to Victoria hospital in Kirkcaldy for, I found out later, a mild hear attack. I think I may have had one a few days earlier but it was not picked up when I went to hospital.

Have to say it was the singularly most painful experiences I have endured in my life. But the main thing is I survived. On Sunday 15th I was transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but what I can only describe as a right old charabanc of an ambulance. The journey itself to maybe 40 minutes but it took the ambulance crew another 30 minutes to find the entrance to the hospital.

Yesterday I was given an angiogram which showed that the right ventricle, I think that is what its called, had been damaged. So the doctor fitted a stent there at the same time. There was no other damage or scarring present.

The surgeon put a dye in my blood stream and made x rays of it going through my heart to identify the problem. He then put a wire with the stent on the end in through my wrist and shoved it up to my heart where he left the stent.

Have to say the procedure was not exactly pain free but it was a big success. Today, one day after the operation I got sent home along with a few tablets to take............I am feeling lots better but I am on the start of a long road to recovery.

So its no driving for a week and a long period of rehabilitation.

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative and Dyslexia Pathways should be put on the back burner for a while but I will do some work little by little to get it all back on track starting from tomorrow.

many thanks for reading.

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Trash to Treasure workshop details

 

 

Are you dyslexic or think you are dyslexic? Age 16 or over and live in or near Fife? Many dyslexics are also creative individuals. If you would like to find out more about being creative then the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is for you.

Come along to a free workshop on 2^nd August 2014 at Furniture Plus, Castle Business Park, Queensferry Road, Dunfermline from 10 am to 4 pm where you will learn how to upcycle an old piece of furniture.   

Furniture Plus is easily accessible by public transport and has on-site parking. Lunch will be provided free of charge. Travel expenses will also be paid. If you have caring responsibilities, some help with the cost of this is available also.

This “Trash to Treasure” workshop is an introduction to upcycling, teaching you painting and simple upholstery techniques that will enable you to revamp a small of piece of furniture and turn it into a thing of beauty. The workshop, furniture and all resources are provided free of charge. This workshop is being run by Clarabella Christie and Furniture Plus organised and funded by Unique Dyslexic Get Creative.

 

 

 

Places are limited to 10 participants. For more information on this workshop or to book a place please contact Steve McCue:

E mail: steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com     

Tel: 01592 756 187

You are invited to visit our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative web site at:

http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

and our Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Unique-Dyslexic-Get-Creative/1431413910440768

Free dyslexia screening available to anyone attending the workshop

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative from Dyslexia Pathways CIC

 

 

So what's cooking with Unique Dyslexic Get Creative

Hi, hi and hi again hope everyone is well and working hard and or having fun.

Its taken me a while to get back into the swing of thing with Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic CIC after my break in France. I also think there was just so much to do and I was finding it hard to get a focus.

A few weeks ago I met 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. I put together a little proposal for the next stage of Unique Dyslexic Get Creative. I cannot say much other than it involves social media. Anyway I got expressions of interest from two universities and have meetings with them on Friday.

The planning for the Trash to Treasure workshop has been  finalised. Here is an outline of the workshop:

This workshop is called Trash to Treasure an introduction to up scaling old furniture. You will be introduced to painting and simple upholstery techniques that will enable you to revamp a small of piece of furniture into a new work of art. The workshop, furniture and all resources are provided free of charge. This workshop is being run by Clarabelle Christie in partnership Furniture Plus. Unlike the first workshop anyone from outside Fife is welcome.

 

 

Places are limited to 10 participants. For more information on this workshop or to book a place please contact Steve McCue:.

E mail: steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com      Tel: 01592 756 187

You are invited to visit our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative web site at:

http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

 

 

The music workshop is nearly organised. We are just waiting to hear from Fife College to see if we can use their music studio facilities. Once we get the go ahead we can the fix a date for this workshop.

 

 

We had a couple of issues to overcome with the visual art workshop. Which we have now overcome. This workshop will take place in Anstruther in Fife.

 

Remember you don't have to be assessed as being dyslexic to access these workshops. For example a teacher or friend may have said you might be dyslexic but have never taken in any further. A free dyslexia screening is available using Quickscan computer software.

 

We really need more people on board to help us with our work. Either as directors or volunteers let me know if you are interested. We would particularly welcome someone to help us with the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative web site.

 

anyways that's it from me for this blog..... you all stay well and be happy

 

I will record an audio version of this blog later this week.

 

Steve McCue

 

 



Unique Dyslexic Get Creative visual art workshop brief:

 

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is holding a series of four free to access creative based workshops. We have already run one successfully on fused glass. You can see the work done in the workshop on the website and social media. We are going to be running one on music, visual arts and trash to treasure. 

We are currently seeking an artist practitioner to run the visual arts workshop.
If would like the opportunity to chat further with you about the visual arts workshop for Unique Dyslexic Get Creative.

Please call me on 01592 756 187 or 07828741473 to discuss this further or arrange a meeting. Can you send me some ideas you have about this workshop please that would be helpful?

I would envisage the day lasting around 8 hours maximum. There will be additional time needed to set up and put things away after the workshop.

We have a budget for the day of around £1000 - £1200 to pay for your time, either on an hourly or session basis, resources, venue, lunch, certificate presentation and tea etc.

It would be a small group of people of around 10 to 12 people, be of mixed ability and from wide age range.

We would like to run the workshop in Anstruther in Fife but this is not set in stone
 

Ideally I would want to see those taking part coming away with something completed. Work from the project will be shown on the Unique Dyslexic website, Facebook page etc and on some Fife web sites also. I am hoping to get a small exhibition set up as well if all goes well. We will also be holding a little end of project event. The most important factors are it must be fun and interesting and build confidence and self esteem.

I have won funding from a number of sources for this project, including funding from, The Big Lottery, Fife Creative Learning Network and Scottish Community Foundation and Fife Cultural Trust.

I would envisage the day looking like this:

9.15 am – 10.15 am set up time and tea, coffee etc

10. 15 – 11.00 introductions, little presentation on social model of dyslexia

11.00 – 1.00 pm first part workshop

1 pm – 1.30 pm / 1.45 pm Lunch (provided free to all participants and to yourself)

1.45 pm – 4.00 pm Second part of workshop

4.00 pm – 4.45 pm Discussion, photographs, certificate presentation

Please call me on 01592 756 187 or 07828741473 to discuss this further or arrange a meeting. Can you send me some ideas you have about this workshop please that would be helpful?

Link to Unique Dyslexic website:  http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

Link to Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Unique-Dyslexic-Get-Creative/1431413910440768

Link to Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/unique.dyslexic/

Here is a link to my blog: http://sdyslexia.blogspot.co.uk/

regards

Steve McCue (BSc Hons, PGCE Inclusive Ed, Cert Adult Dyslexia Support, MEd Cert Multie sensory e learning and dyslexia)