Live stream from inclusion Scotland access to politics for disabled people event and hustings

Hi blog readers something a little different today. I am attending the Inclusion Scotland Access to Politics for Disabled people and political hustings. I am going to add a link to the live feed for this event.

Please click the link and comments are welcome.



Link to Live stream Inclusion Scotland event

You can still access a recording of the live stream using the above link. You can get a little flavour of the event from that.

Regards

Steve

Dyslexia, neuro difference and disability its about diversity, difference and inclusion

Dyslexia Pathways CIC logo above

Inclusion in the real sense of the word just does not exist in the vast majority of schools. All kids learn about disability at school is that disabled kids, dyslexic kids and neuro different kids do not get taught in classrooms with the rest of the kids. They get separated, isolated and remediated. They get to sit in a corner of a classroom or in a separated room where they can be taught by an assistant teacher and not a teacher. At times this is done when other kids are outside playing. They become marginalised and segregated because they are the, "SPECIAL NEEDS" kids.

What this means in reality is disabled, dyslexic and neuro different kids become targets for bullies because dyslexic, disabled and neuro different kids are excluded from the main community of children in schools and they can become isolated. I think there was something on the news the other day that said 98% of disabled kids experience bullying at school? Dyslexic kids are much more likely to receive negative feedback from teachers that their peers. It can also impact on self confidence, self esteem and mental health.

Dyslexic, disabled and neuro different kids lose the opportunity to learn from other children and other children lose the opportunity to learn from dyslexia, disabled and neuro diffent kids. As well as the opportunity learn about each other from each other.

So kids who are not disabled, dyslexic or neuro different learn nothing about inclusion what so ever. If you segregate at school the segregation carries on into adult life. If we cannot have inclusion at school how have we have inclusion in society?

So what do we mean by inclusion?

Inclusion can be described by as the practice of ensuring that people feel they belong, are engaged, and connected. It is a universal human right whose aim is to embrace all people, irrespective of race, gender, disability or other attribute which can be perceived as different.

Miller and Katz (2002) defined inclusion as: “.. a sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are;  feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so that you can do your best.”

It is about valuing all individuals, giving equal access and opportunity to all and removing discrimination and other barriers to involvement.
From an ethical point of view, human rights are fundamental to overcoming disabling barriers and promoting inclusion.

A human rights approach should ensure positive processes and outcomes for disabled people including treating people with dignity and respect and ensure that society no longer disables its citizens.

Respecting human rights in the delivery of services is not an optional extra but a set of core values and fundamental to public sector reform. Human rights extend to economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights.
Work towards inclusion must be active, involves imagining better and understanding that we all have something to contribute.  It encompasses people having control over their own support and making their own decisions (personalisation), participation and presence in their own communities.

A request for support for Dyslexia Pathways CIC:

Our next goal is to open a dyslexia / neuro diference hub in Fife. The hub itself will have a creative focus but will also provide services to the Fife community. We have a prospective site for our hub, which is located in Lochgelly. This is a unique, huge and ambitious project, and thus we are seeking volunteers who would be able to offer their time on a voluntary basis to support us on this project.

Ideally, we would like to set up a small working group, who would have the right skill set to enable us to succeed in this endeavour. If you have experience of writing funding bids, working on similar projects, writing business plans etc please contact Steve on 01592 756 187.

Around 35% of entrepreneurs yet around 50% of people in prison are dyslexic. Many of those in prison are there because they failed at school and made bad life choices. Many who fail at school are bright individuals; however, our education system fails them. We want to change this for the good of dyslexics and the good of society.

Web site and some of our social media links:

http://sdyslexia.blogspot.co.uk/

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

https://twitter.com/SteveMcCue1

http://www.dyslexiapathways.com/

Many thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Any comments you may have are welcome.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neuro diversity as important as biodiversity #vivaladifference / feed back from the social enterprise hustings event

 

Pictured above Dyslexia Pathways Logo

 

Hi blog readers hope you are all well

 

I had a fab day at the Social Enterprise Hustings held at the Grassmarket Community project in Edinburgh. Met with a lot of fab people. Have to say the Grassmarket is a fab community doing fab work.

 

Grassmarket community project picture above

Grassmarket community project pucture above

 

 

Politicians from all four major parties were there including John Swinney SNP, Willie Rennie from Scottish Lib Dems and two others from the Labour and Tory party. Apologies I just cannot remember their names. I will say I had a good chat with all four about dyslexia and neuro difference. The labour candidate informed me he is dyslexic and ADHD. Good news to chat with a politician willing to chat so openly about being dyslexia and ADHD. 

 

The four political candidates at the hustings pictured above

 

 

I only wish I had filmed the event because so much was said and so many questions asked and answered. One discussion focussed on people in prison and about how social enterprise can address this issue.

 

I had the opportunity to talk about the fact that around 50% of people in prison are dyslexic and over 60% are very low literacy and numeracy skills.

 

I mentioned the fact that it is our education system that is failing and unless we address this first we will not see so many dyslexics ending up in our prisons. Even John Swinney agreed that our education system is letting our dyslexic and neuro different kids down. The last time I wrote to the Scottish government about dyslexia and education all I got was a rather bland response basically telling me everything was rosy in the garden sigh. Good to hear someone in power agreeing that things need to change.

 

I suggested we need to see 50% of entrepreneurs being dyslexic or neuro different in Scotland and 35% of dyslexics in prison as a first step to solving the over representation of dyslexics in our prison. I went on to say that for too long dyslexic and neuro different kids have been failed by our education system and marginalised within education, training and employment.

 

Dyslexics are not inherently criminal, they make bad choices because they are given little hope for their future. So many of us struggle at the first and second hurdle when looking for employment The major one being just filling in an application form. I know this from my own experience of struggling to fill in an application form before I had access to a computer keyboard and it still happens today for many dyslexic young people who have no access to a computer at home.

 

Dyslexic and neuro different minds are a resource that a small country like Scotland cannot leave un tapped. Neither can we dyslexics continue to accept that our kids are being marginalised at school and their life chances and opportunities being denied them. 

 

Hey I was the only one of those who asked a question who got a clap from the audience. Ok it was only two claps but it was two claps more than anyone else. 

 

I also had the opportunity to mention that social enterprise is far from being an inclusive movement and that much more work needs to be done to make it more inclusive.  

 

Dyslexia and Time and getting lost:

 

I have a BSc honours Geography degree but I can get lost going round a corner. I also have little sense of time so I always leave early to get to any event. Sometimes that has its advantages.

 

I arrived at the Grassmarket community centre an hour early. The first thing I notice was a cameramen clustering around the coffee bar area, They we all filming Willie Rennie learning how to make a cappuccino. I was gasping for a coffee and started milling around with the cameramen. I stood around patiently waiting to get served as Willie was getting trained. Cant remember how it happened but I mentioned I was waiting for a coffee and Willie Rennie made it for me and I got it for free. lol.

 

 

Photo above Willie Rennie making my coffee

 

 

Picture above Willie Rennie struggling to make my coffee lol

 

 

 

Getting my cup of coffee for free from Willie Rennie lol

  

 

After drinking the coffee pictured above my advice to Willie is don't give up your day job just yet

 

 

Dyslexia Pathways CIC online shop:

 

Dyslexia Pathways CIC supports and promotes dyslexic and neuro difference communities as well as the people who support or love them.

We believe the dyslexia i...s a difference that reflects diversity and that neuro diversity is as important as biodiversity. ‪#‎dyslexia‬ ‪#‎diversity‬

Our Unique designs enable people from all communities to promote a more positive vision of dyslexia and neuro difference. One that respects and values equality, diversity and difference.

Please let us know what you think of our designs honest opinions please

Below is a link to our Dyslexia Pathways CIC online shop

http://stores.clothes2order.com/unique-dyslexic/dyslexic/

 

Pictured below our five Unique tee shirt logos

Anyway that's enough of a blog for today phew.

regards

Steve McCue

please love and groovyness to all
 

Holyrood Election Conversation & Social Enterprise Manifesto Launch for The Scottish Parliament election 2016!

Hi all hope you are all well

Holyrood Election Conversation & Social Enterprise Manifesto Launch for The Scottish Parliament election 2016!

I am attending the above event on Monday 11th April. We have been encouraged to ask questions of those running the event from the Scottish parliament and Social Enterprise Scotland. Here is the questions I am going to take with me. what do you think?

I am a dyslexic dyslexia and inclusion specialist and founded Dyslexia Pathways CIC in 2009. We are the first dyslexia focussed social enterprise in the world. We are a small CIC but we have big ambitions. However we are finding it extremely difficult to move forward. The issue here is accessing grant funding that will give us the time and space to grow.

I have recently accessed support from the Scottish Cultural Enterprise Office and thank them for being dyslexia friendly so its not all bad news.

I have made several successful funding applications for projects run by Dyslexia Pathways CIC as well as in my career as a dyslexia and inclusion specialist working in colleges.

Question 1: What support is there available that will enable a small social enterprise such as mine to grow? One issue here is the vast majority of funders talk about community in terms of a geographical location, when we are working with a dyslexic community which does not fit in within that narrow, and lets face it, outdated definition of community.

I know there is funding out there but much of the time I find out about this too late to enable me as a dyslexic to complete what are quite complex and time consuming application forms. I am also concerned that small social enterprises just cannot compete on a level playing field with larger more established social enterprises.

I founded Dyslexia Pathways CIC as a business novice and it took me sometime to find my feet as a social entrepreneur. Although we were founded in 2009, it took me a while to gain confidence to even think of myself as a social entrepreneur. We managed to win contracts to support dyslexic, neuro different and disabled students attending university. Also, our recent Unique Dyslexic Get Creative project was a real success.

Last year I attended a 20 week entrepreneur course at Acorn Enterprises, as well as attended the inaugural Scotland CanDo Scale programme. Both were fab programmes but I was concerned at the lack of support for dyslexic and neuro different entrepreneurs. I also attended a couple of Social Enterprise Academy Leadership courses. I am also concerned at the lack of dyslexia awareness of funders also; considering statistics show that around 35% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, I believe this situation needs to be addressed and solved.

Question 2: What support is being made available to enable prospective dyslexic, neuro different and disabled social entrepreneurs to embrace social enterprise to address issues such a marginalisation and exclusion many of us face in education. training and employment?  

Many dyslexics do end up failing at school. Not because they are not bright enough but because our education system still lets so many of us down. Many dyslexics then go on to be marginalised in employment, and cannot succeed in training for work because dyslexia issues have not been resolved. As a result we have around 50% of the prison population being dyslexic and over 60% have very poor literacy and numeracy.  

This is a waste of their lives and a waste of potential to the Scottish economy.

Social enterprise should be about inclusion in terms of encouraging and supporting dyslexic, neuro differenct and disabled prospective social entrepreneurs into social enterprise as a career path. I just don't see that happening within the social enterprise movement.

ta for taking the time to read my blog. Any comments are most appreciated and please share.