Some results from a little dyslexia research I carried out.

Hi blog readers hope you are all well


Feedback from a little dyslexia research I did a couple months back. Ok its only a small survey but it gives some interesting insights into our experiences as dyslexics:

A couple months ago a put together a little survey on your experiences and thoughts on dyslexia which I put up on survey monkey. Its still there if anyone wants to have a look and take the survey. I will go through the questions and results one at a time.

Question 1: When and where were you assessed as being Dyslexic?

19% were assessed at school

62% were assessed in later life either at college or university with a couple being assessed privately

19% had never been assessed but believed they were dyslexic.

One responder said," my son was assessed at school as dyslexic in 3rd grade and I was a lot like him in many ways"

Question 2: What problems did you face in your personal life, education, training for work, college or higher education before you were assessed?

100% 0f those who took the survey said they experienced problems and here are some of those responses:

1. Problems in school learning to read
2. Sacked bullied and rejected
3. Frustrated by teachers at school who believed I was lazy or cheating
4. I left school at 15, probably worked 4 or 5 times harder that non dyslexics
5. I was terrified of going to school
6. Shoved in a corner left to rot
7. Lack of support and understanding
8. Test taking, making friendships, self worth. Lots of problems being put down was always being told I was not smart enough

Question 3: Did you get access to any support for your dyslexia after you were assessed:

60% said yes
40% said no

One person said, " it was patronising and irrelevant

I am leaving out question 4 because I felt it was not well put together

Question 5: Overall do you feel positive or negative about being dyslexic?

68% felt positive
27% felt negative
5% felt both positive and negative

Good to see so many feeling positive

Question 6: Are you creative in any way?

89% said yes
11% said no

Some of the responses included:

1. Yes a Masters in photography
2. Yes art, problem solving, clinical decision making
3. I am a designer
4. Yes I can always figure something out it just takes a while
5. In every way overly
6. Yes in thinking and writing short stories and starting creative projects at work

Not bad responses from unique dyslexics.

Question 7: Overall do you think society views being dyslexic as positive or negative?

82% said society views being dyslexic as negative dyslexic
18% said society views being dyslexic as positive 

Interesting to not that so many who took the survey were positive about being dyslexic. Yes so many said that society views dyslexic as negative

Question 8: Why do you think society views being dyslexic as positive or negative?

Here are some of the responses I got from that question:

1. Negative, reading problems
2. Society sees any difference from the norm as negative, dyslexia is seen as a disability so is seen in a negative light
3. it is seen as a disability
4. I say its more of a distinction
5. they don't understand and negative images are portrayed
6. no but its getting better
7. some people don't understand it I think that's the problem
8. Living in a world of people who see everything in 2dimensions bringing a person who looks at things in three dimensions causes disruptions
9. society is abysmally ignorant
10. Because its called a learning disability and therefore it id immediately stigmatised by people who find difference challenging

Lots of different responses there. What would yours be? please leave yours in the comments section of this blog.

Question 9:Do you think enough is being done to enable dyslexics to succeed in education, training for work or in employment?

93% said not enough is being done
7% said yes

Well looks like more work needs to be done by all dyslexia organisation, schools, colleges, governments and employers.

Question 10: What one thing would you like to say about being dyslexic?

Here are some of the responses form this question:

I think differently to most people and my cognitive performance is in the 99.8 percentile. It may take me a while to get the information in but I can work magic once it is 

Its amazing just try it

Think creatively

Worse things can happen it shaped me

We need more help and acceptance

I am unique

I am just me, nothing is seriously wrong, I just see things differently, different does not have to be bad

I don't like others telling me what works and what doesn't, its different for each of us

I have the ability to see what others dream of and live my life in the moment

I am happy dyslexic I fit into a group better than being called slow or dumb

For every succeeder there are a thousand suffers

It has given me a creative twist on the way I see the world

I don't want to hide it I want to celebrate and share my gifts

I am not stupid and being diagnosed confirmed it 

Well I hope you enjoyed my latest dyslexia blog. Please leave any comments you may have in the comments section at the bottom of this blog. I think there are a lot of positive from this survey. But it also tells us there is a long way to go.

PS: Some fab news we recurred some funding from Foundation Scotland wooo wooooo

Questions:

Here is a opportunity for blog readers to ask  me  questions about my life experiences of being dyslexic which I will endeavour to answer. Below are some topics questions can be about.

Dyslexia and:

1. Education
2. Employment
3. Mental Health
4. Assessment
5. Music
6. Social entrepreneurship
7. Life high and low points in my life

PPS : We have added a donate social button our Dyslexia Pathways CIC Unique Dyslexic Facebook Page.


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


Its right beside the photos button. So if there is anyone who would like to donate just click on the button and follow instructions.



We are seeking donations to support our dyslexia projects including the Unique Dyslexic tee shirt and creative hub projects and keeping our web presence and social media going.



Dyslexia Pathways CIC was the first dyslexia focussed social enterprise in the world. We endeavour to promote a more positive social model profile of dyslexia though

Dyslexia Pathways CIC work and our Unique Dyslexic Campaign.

Just to remind you that we are a not for profit organisation.

anyway that's enough for this blog ta for reading and keep safe

regards

Steve



progress on Freshsight research for Dyslexia Pathways CIC and intrim report etc

Hi blog readers hope you are well.

Apologies my blog is a little late this week.

My father in law passed away on Friday 6th at 3pm after battling a long illness. He was surrounded by his family who all loved him. He was like the dad I never had to me. We will all miss him.

RIP Tom Smith

News from Freshsight:

For those who do not know Freshsight are a student lead business consultancy from Edinburgh University. The provide business consultancy services to charities and social enterprises. The carry our a programme of work as required for an 8 week period at a cost of £250. The team of 6 are doing great work for us.

Freshsight sent me a new video last week. The team went out and about at Edinburgh University asking about dyslexia and nuero difference. They got a lot of interesting and diverse responses:

FreshSight Interim Report on Dyslexia Pathways 5/11/15

The Client

During our initial client meeting, we established that

our client’s primary goal was to establish a physical

presence for Dyslexia Pathways in the form of a

dyslexia centre. The centre would primarily provide

services such as training and advocacy about the

neurodiverse community. Our client is additionally

interested in building a number of units to lease

within the centre, where creative dyslexics could

work together and establish their entrepreneurial

ideas. The client envisions the centre to be self-

funding through revenue generating streams such as

a heritage cafe.

The Deliverables

After analysing the business model of the Dyslexia

Centre and assessing its viability, the FreshSight

team realised that all individual components of the

centre require bespoke research as they appeal to

different target audiences. For example, the target

market for the informational session on Dyslexia is

different to the target market for leasing out the

creative units within the centre.

Therefore, after researching all individual aspects of

the Dyslexia Centre, we have divided our final

deliverables into the three overarching dimensions.

and finally competition time reminder:

 

Just to remind everyone about our design a positive dyslexia tee shirt logo completion for young people 16 years old and under.

 

As part of Dyslexia Pathways CIC Unique Dyslexic campaign we are running a competition for young dyslexics 16 years old or younger.

We are asking young dyslexics to design a dyslexia positive logo for a tee shirt as part of our Unique Dyslexic Campaign. You don’t have to be a fab artist to enter it’s about showing us your ideas.
The logo itself can only be a maximum of three colours (more colours = more printing costs)
...

The winner will be chosen through our social media on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest etc.
I will be setting up a Facebook album and Pinterest board where entries will be posted and seen by our social media followers.

All you need to do is send in a photo or a graphic file of the finished logo design to steve_mccue@hotmail.com and I can post it on our Facebook page.

Or entries can be posted directly onto our Facebook page. All we need name and e mail address of a parent / carer or teacher so that we can contact the winner at the end of the competition.
The prize will be a tee shirt with the winning logo printed on it. We may be able to throw in another small prize along with this. Perhaps a copy of Text Help Gold Student Edition.
If there is anyone wants to donate a prize that would be gratefully accepted.

Information on our social media why not have a look

or give us a like etc

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

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

anyway enough for today take care and remember

#dyslexia is a difference that reflects #diversity

 

 

Please take a little survey on dyslexia and neuro difference

Hello there blog readers hope you are all well. Some of my regular readers my know that one of our goals at Dyslexia Pathways CIC and Unique Dyslexic Campaign is to open a dyslexia hub for the dyslexic and other neuro different communities.

The hub itself will be based in Fife Scotland but will have a global focus. The hub will focus on creativity, entrepreneurship, training, awareness training, a community café, supporting parents with dyslexic children, advocacy, volunteering, mentoring and being dyslexia positive.

We will promote a more positive social model of dyslexia and who know maybe even become a blueprint for other hubs around the world. We at Dyslexia Pathways CIC believe  that #dyslexia is a difference that reflects #diversity and that neuro diversity is as important as biodiversity.

Fresh Sight the student lead business consultancy based at Edinburgh University are in the process are completing some research into this for us over the next 8 weeks. They have designed a very short survey for people from all neuro diverse communities as well as dyslexics to complete.

It literally takes less than two minutes to complete and would help us in our aim to setting up our new hub.

Dyslexia Pathways CIC was the first dyslexia focussed social enterprise in the world. Please help us achieve our goal of a new hub.

Here is a link to the survey:

Dyslexia Pathways CIC neuro difference survey

Please share, share, share  and share my blog and the link. Much appreciated in advance

regards

Steve