well only two days to go but still so much to do lol

Hellay blog readers hope you are all well

I had a weekend away from all the madness of Unique Dyslexic, dyslexia support work and my business incubator course with Acorn Enterprise. We took a little coach trip with Anne's parents and a group from the Fife Hospital Kidney Support group.

Ok it was wet and it was windy but it was cool just to get away from it all for a couple days.

Today I have been putting together some bumf for the event on Wednesday and making sure the display boards and lunch arrangements etc are fine.

All the photographs have been processed and just have to be mounted on the day.

Going to pick up the new tee shirt with a new version of the logo together with a new banner, business cards and badges. 

I have not managed to get a photographer for the day which is a real downer.......we will just have to deal with that ad hoc as well as do the filming.

Tomorrow is an Acorn day and is all about marketing am looking forward to this. Plus I have a meeting with Callum from Brag regarding possible funding for future projects and project ideas. Had to spend some time today preparing for this on top of preparing for the Unique Dyslexic Celebration of Creativity event on 29th October.

anyways that's it from me

take care blog readers and ta for taking the time to read my blog

Another great acorn day at the Acorn Enterprise Initiative

 

 

Hi de hi blog readers hope you are well

 

"Here is a photo from our 'Presentation Skills' seminar today 21.10.14 led by Eugene Clarke, Managing Director of People Growth UK.

3 main take-aways from today:

1. Have a "hook" - something that engages your audience from the start.
2. People like stories - try to tell one that others will want to share.
3. Don't forget the power of 3's - people, remember things better in lists of 3!"

 

 

This was the sixth in a series of twenty presentations given freely by an expert in the field to we acorns. Today was excellent many thanks to Eugene Clark for sharing his insights with us. We all learned a lot today that will help us and our businesses in the future.

"We'd also like to take this opportunity to say thank you once again to Eugene Clarke and our previous seminar hosts: Colin McKeand - Business Connector, Our very own Jerry Alexander, Craig McKie - CNJ Accounting, who have kindly given up their time to come in and deliver seminars for our Acorns. You all rock! See More"

10 out of 10 to Eugene, Acorn, Kallum and Dane and everyone else involved in Acorn for providing us all with this great opportunity.

I heartily recommend anyone interested in developing their own business to apply for the course.

I also implore anyone interested in supporting new businesses and start up businesses to find out more about the great work Acorn Enterprise Initiative does and support them in any way they can and the excellent work they do.

Have to say I am enjoying working with all the other participants on this course......everyone a star.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my blog it is much appreciated.

regards

Steve

 

10 years of Lord Sugar and the Apprentice.....Who has been conspicious by their absence?

I have been involved in an interesting little discussion about the said show on one on my Linked in Groups which all stemmed for this article on the BBC web site:

The Apprentice is back on television screens for its 10th series but there has never been a visibly disabled person in the programme. Why?

"Over the years The Apprentice has ensured an incredibly diverse group of candidates. There's always been a 50/50 gender split between men and women and a broad range of religions, sexualities, races and social backgrounds. ( I would like to add that I disagree with the diverse argument simply because disabled people conspicuous by their absence)

But disabilities do not get the same level of representation in the programme, there has never been a wheelchair user, deaf person or any visibly disabled person in the ten series.

With news that Conservative minister Lord Freud was recorded saying some disabled people were "not worth" the minimum wage, and at a time when many disabled people are being encouraged into work, it is arguably more important than ever that disabled people are given an opportunity to show they can be good workers who can compete in the jobs market.

"The truth is that there are loads of successful disabled businesspeople out there, and The Apprentice should be reflecting that," says Kath Sutherland, who runs START Ability Services, a business that gives advice to disabled entrepreneurs.

The Apprentice's aim is to pick out the best entrepreneurs from around the UK but employment figures show that disabled people are more likely to be self-employed than non-disabled people - 17% compared with 14% respectively, so the numbers are there".

My response:

People are chosen for their entertainment value not their entrepreneurial abilities. I would not throw my worst enemy into that show. I used to love this show but its just to painful to watch now. Its all ego and dog eat dog in my view. If these are the best entrepreneurs we have then this country is in deep doo doo.

The Apprentice is about entertainment not about supporting and developing entrepreneurs. Speaking as a disabled and dyslexic social entrepreneur, at least that's what I am told I am, there is little real support out there for dyslexic and disabled entrepreneurs. This is crazy when you consider that 35% of all entrepreneurs are dyslexic.

The above article itself indicates that disabled people are more likely to be self employed but I cannot find any data on disability and entrepreneurship. So support for disabled entrepreneurs is needed. 

But entrepreneurship may be the only way for many disabled people to gain employment. It might not earn us a fortune but it might be enough to keep us out of the tender mercies of the DWP and ATOS.

I would say that 95% or all the support out there the self employed and entrepreneurs is totally useless for dyslexic and disabled self employed people. Many such organisations have little or no understanding of accessibility issues, cursory disability and dyslexia awareness training, if any, and little to no empathy or understanding of the barriers disabled and dyslexic self employed or disabled people have to face and overcome.

If I were to ever make enough money from my social enterprise ventures the one thing I would do is set up something to support disabled and dyslexic entrepreneurs and self employed.

What is your response to this?

The final push



Hi all hope you are all well.

Just want to say many thanks to everyone involved in Unique Dyslexic Get Creative.

Many thanks to my good lady, my directors, to all those who came to the workshops, to everyone who shared their work and their likes with us. To all the volunteers who have given their time freely.

In eleven days time we will have our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Celebration of Creativity.

I am hoping it will be a big success and that we can change some of the negative perceptions of dyslexia and promote dyslexia in terms of difference and diversity.

I have been promoting the event like crazy here.....sometimes I feel like I am chained to the computer. lol

I would like to invite anyone interested in this event to come along and help us celebrate dyslexic creativity.

If anyone has any artwork they would like to share please send me a photograph and if I can I will add it to the exhibition.

Please come an visit our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative website.....see and hear what we can do

http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

Come visit our Facebook page and give us a like....only four more needed to reach 500 likes

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

anyway

Many thanks for reading

Unique Dyslexic Press Release

 

Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is living up to its name by holding an exhibition at the Rothes Halls Glenrothes in Fife on the 29^th October 2014.

 

This event is the first of its kind to be held in Scotland, and is quite unique in that it is exhibiting work produced by dyslexics at five free creative focussed workshops run throughout the Fife area over the last 6 months. Participants at these workshops came from all over Fife, and beyond, to take part. The workshops involved working creatively with glass, music, visual art and up-cycling furniture.

 

The exhibition will also include creative works from creative dyslexics from around the world uploaded onto Unique Dyslexic’s website at:

 

http://www.uniquedyslexic.com/

 

and our Facebook page at:

 

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

 

The Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Celebration of Creativity is being opened by Jim Leishman, Lord Provost of Fife, and hosted by Steve McCue, CEO of Dyslexia Pathways CIC. Unique Dyslexic Get Creative is organised and run by Dyslexia Pathways CIC and funded by: The Big Lottery, Foundation Scotland, Fife Cultural Trust, Fife Creative Learning Network and Dyslexia Pathways CIC.

 

There will be sessions from dyslexic performers including Anita Govan dyslexic poet and a keynote speech from Dr Ross Cooper, organiser of the Festival of Dyslexic Culture.  Some of the workshop participants will be there on the day to give a flavour of what attending the workshop meant for them.  There will also be the opportunity to meet the partners who supported the projects along the way who will have information tables at the exhibition so you can find out about them as well.

 

The event will run from 12 noon until 2pm for invited guests and from 2 pm to 6pm to members of the public. We would welcome anyone who wishes to come along and find out more about Unique Dyslexic Get Creative and the project partners.

 

Please find attached invitations to both parts of this event. If anyone wants to attend the full event please contact steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com or phone on 01592 756 187. However numbers for the earlier part of the day are limited so please be quick.

 

Regards

Steve McCue (Founder and CEO Dyslexia Pathways CIC)

but what about Dyslexia Pathways CIC?

Hi blog readers hope you are all well....

I have been focussed so much on my Unique Dyslexic Get Creative project I have totally neglected to mention Dyslexia Pathways Comminity Interest Company Ltd by Guarantee.

I founded Dyslexia Pathways CIC just 5 year ago now. Its been hard work and a steep learning curve for me in terms of developing my business skills and acumen.

I have been doing a lot of work with students at university from first year undergraduates to PhD students and I have enjoyed every minute of the have done with them.

I have also worked with many other organisations and individuals but I always get a buzz from working with students.

What with the Unique Dyslexic project becoming a real monster in terms of workload, my mum passing away earlier this year, the Acorn business incubator, developing new projects and all the physio |I have to do to recover from my recent heart attack I am only working one day a week with students instead of five days week. So instead of maybe seeing 15 to 20 students a week I am seeing 5 a week.  

Oh I am not complaining gawd things could have been so much worse but it would be good to get some new income streams going like last week lol.

There are some new opportunities on the horizon and I am planing to get my new dyslexia focussed tee shirts on the market soon.

Just visited the Dyslexia Pathways CiC site for the first time in ages. Juts thought I would put a link up with some of the feedback we at Dyslexia Pathways CIC have recieved.

http://www.dyslexiapathways.com/#!testamonials/c80m

Going back to the feedback gave me a much needed boost.........

anywho ta for taking the time to read my blog

regards

Steve

I read a blog about dyslexia and employment and it got me started lol. Oh the joys of having a brain that wakes up at 4am and won't stop lol

Hi blog readers

As I see it there is a deluge of information out there about dyslexia which is, in the main, quite negative, untrue and misleading to say the least. I am a dyslexic person and I am also a disabled person but that does not mean I am unable to work or be good and positive asset to any employer.

I am just going to focus on dyslexia from now on in the response. But I would say the same can be applied to disability as well.

I know I bang on about the social model of dyslexia and that it is society that disable us. Society can also enable us. A good employer can create and inclusive working environment and reap tremendous benefits from doing so. But I would say they are very few and far between.

I am not going to say there are a lot of bad employers out there I am just going to say many just do not know how to create an inclusive working environment. Many just have a misinformed negative impression of dyslexia and have little to no idea of what a positive skills and abilities a prospective dyslexic employee can bring to their organisation.

I believe we have to look at the negativity surrounding the medical and charity models of dyslexia that effectively shackle us to a very negative stereotype. We cant spell, our short term memory is crap our brains do not work properly, somehow we are not normal sigh. This does not promote a positive image of dyslexia nor does in talk about celebrating diversity or difference.

Education has to take some responsibility for the fact that many very bright and capable dyslexics fail at school because the education system fails them. As a result many leave school with few or no qualifications and as a result struggle to find work. Why is it the 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic? Yet over 50% of people in our prisons are dyslexic?

But the dyslexia industry also has to shoulder some of the responsibility for this situation. I was looking to update my Dyslexia Pathways CIC website a couple of months ago and was looking at a couple of dyslexic screening tests I had put up. It got me thinking about these tests. 

Many of there screening tests focus on negatives and what we struggle with. In the end I decided against putting up the screening test. Now this seems like a bit chicken or the egg situation here. I can hear you all asking, “you must take a screening test to find out if you need a dyslexia assessment?”

But go take a look at these screening tests, put yourself in the eyes of a prospective employer, what do these screening tests say to any employer about dyslexics? What do they say to many of us dyslexics taking them?

Moreover, what do these screening tests say to the dyslexic that takes them? Maybe we need to be looking at more positive ways of screening? I know of good screening tool out there called Quickscan which I have used for a number of years but that’s all.

Now back to the dyslexia industry which sells assistive technology which promotes itself as accessible technology. Have you looked at the prices they sell these things for? Over £300 for one particular text to speech software package.

It costs around £100 for a speech to text package. Not very accessible in terms of costs for the average dyslexic in the street? Also this technology is sold as a panacea for all dyslexics but quite clearly they do not work for all dyslexics. No doubt these software packages can be very liberating for some dyslexics but not for all.
 
On the positive front in around 30 to 50 years writing by hand will be being lamented as a lost art. Maybe even the keyboard will be lauded as an outmoded and old bit of technology that has had its day.

Its a slow and laborious was of communicating and in business time is money. Speech to text technology will become the main way we communicate in writing. It will become everyday life, it will be seriously much better than it is today but more importantly this technology will be cheaper as it becomes more mainstream

Books will slowly start to die out to be replaced by screens that are light and easy to carry and store and can change the background colour, or the size and font or use text to speech technology. Just look at MP3 players. Maybe 8 years ago I would have to carry around my music on CDs and I could carry maybe 10 CDs around with me in a bag. Now I can carry my whole collection of music in a very small MP3 player in my pocket.

The same will happen, is already happening, with books.

Give me 10 dyslexic is a room and oh the problems we could solve together with our unique dyslexic minds with our dyslexic think tank. Who is up for putting one together with me?

My life as an acorn and other stuff

Hi blog readers hope you are all firing on all thrusters.

My regular readers may remember that I started a 20 week business incubator course a few weeks ago at Acorn Enterprise. I have to report I am enjoying all aspects of this course. I would heartily recommend this course to any entrepreneur or prospective entrepreneur.

Rather than me just writing about the course please follow the link below to get more information in a video about this great course from Kallum. Acorn Enterprise is his idea and he has experience of being an entrepreneur himself...............

http://www.acornenterprise.co.uk/

Things I like about this course:

They guys, Kallum and Dane running the course are great, they are dedicated, knowledgeable, approachable and very supportive

I very much like the fact that I get the opportunity to meet with other entrepreneurs like myself

I have to attend two half days a week and can use the premises whenever I like during the rest of the week which gets me out of working from home and gives my weeks some structure.

This week the guys at Acorn brought in representatives from  Fife Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, Royal Bank of Scotland, Business Gateway and Skills Development Scotland. 

All the Acorns were given the opportunity to talk about themselves, their businesses and ideas and the representatives from the organisations gave us insights into the support we could access. Everyone appeared to enjoy this opportunity.

Below are a couple of photos from one of the sessions at Acorn:

 

 

On the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative front I am very busy putting the final touches to the Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Celebration of Creativity Event on the 29th October. We have send out around 90 invitations so far and have responses from about 25 people and organisations so far. We are hoping to get at least 50 people attending the early part of the event and the same again to the latter part which includes the entertainment.

This event is all about being dyslexia positive, about raising awareness of the social model of dyslexia and about showing what we can achieve.

If there is any organisation out there interested in coming along contact me at steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com.

or 01592 756 187

This is the first event of its kind to be held in Scotland so come along and be a part of a very special day for my organisation for all those who participated in the five workshops and on our social media. Dyslexia Pathways CIC. We were the first social enterprise to have a dyslexia focus certainly in Scotland and possible the UK.

Below is a link to the invitation to this event and with more details of what is happening at the event.

Much more news to report but that's for another blog in the future

ta for taking the time to read my blog it is much appreciated.

Invitation to Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Celebration of Dyslexia

 

 

Invites you to our

Celebration of Creativity

hosted by

Steve McCue (CEO of Dyslexia Pathways)

 

The event will be opened by Jim Leishman, Lord Provost of Fife,

with speeches and performances from

Dr Ross Cooper

(Dyslexia Consultant and organiser of the Festival of Dyslexic Culture),

Anita Govan

(Dyslexic poet performing poetry from around her life journey through Dyslexia and Creativity),

Siannie Moodie

(playing contempory and traditional music on the Scottish clarsach (harp))

 

This event is the first of its kind held in Scotland. The exhibition consists of 70 plus photographs and samples of work produced by participants who have attended the five creative workshops run throughout this year in various areas of Fife, as well as examples of  creative work from members of our website and Facebook page from around the world.

 

We will be joined in our celebration on the day by partners who supported us in our creative journey and helped us to find the creativity that we aim to take forward into the future.

 

We would be honoured if you would join us at our celebration on 29th October 2014 at the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes from 2 pm until 6 pm.

 

RSVP by 14 October 2014 to steve.mccue@uniquedyslexic.com or call us on 01592756187.

 

If any organisation would like to come to the early part of this event which is open from 12 noon please contact me. We have a few tables available where you can promote the work you do and tables are free. 

 

Come and find out more about dyslexia and creativity and about being dyslexia positive.

 

The event is open to the public from 2 pm onwards and is free to enter as is the entertainment..