Tuesday 4 December 2018

Social model of dyslexia and social enterprise a positive and inclusive way forward.


I am a fab one in ten dyslexic
Hi blog readers hope you are all well

I have no problem with being dyslexic. I am very happy that I see and experience the world through my dyslexic prism.

I do have a problem with our #Dyslexia unfriendly education system and society that quite simply has failed us. 

#dyslexia is about diversity and difference and it is society that disables us.


That's why I, and my organization Dyslexia Pathways CIC, say the #dyslexia is a difference that reflects diversity and not dyslexia is a condition that disables us.


The negative medical discrepancy model has also resulted in:


Over 50% of people in our prisons are dyslexic


Dyslexics are 6 times more likely to be long term unemployed than non dyslexics


Only 19% of dyslexic adults were actually assessed as dyslexic while at school

Many of us leave school with long term mental health issues, poor self confidence and low self esteem because of our negative experiences in education

This is not acceptable and cannot continue.

We ourselves have to change how we think and talk about , the medical discrepancy model way has not worked for us. Society will not just do it for us.


All the medical discrepancy model has done is isolated and marginalized many of us. Its created a negative medical discrepancy model stereotype around dyslexics that disables us in our own eyes and in the eyes of society. It is a model that has been imposed upon us by society.


We need to challenge it and fight for change because if we don't future generations of dyslexic kids will continue to be failed. Of course some positive change is happening. However, it is far to slow and we have had to fight for that change every step of the way

We need to celebrate and recognize dyslexic culture and all that dyslexics have achieved across all areas of society.

That's why my social enterprise Dyslexia Pathways CIC supports and promotes the social model of dyslexia and social enterprise model. It is a more positive and inclusive way forward.

A model that celebrates and embraces dyslexia and recognizes our diversity, neuro diversity and difference. One that does not try to turn us into copies of non dyslexics.

More importantly its a model created by dyslexics for dyslexics.

If you think my blog has something to say please share and like it. If you have something to say please leave a comments. We will never see any change unless we all talk about and share our experiences.

thanks for reading

Peace love and groovyness

Steve McCue Founder of Dyslexia Pathways Community Interest Company

PS: my dyslexia blog has now had nearly a quarter of a million reads











Sunday 2 December 2018

Unique Dyslexics are #fab


My Unique Dyslexic Eye show logo


Hi to all 

Some of the brilliant Unique Dyslexic Get Creative participant feedback

Last year was a brilliant year for us especially with our Unique Dyslexic Get Creative Campaign

Our Unique Dyslexic Celebration of Creativity event was held on 29th October 2014. This was the first event of its kind to be held in Scotland by the first dyslexia focussed social enterprise, Dyslexia Pathways CIC constituted in the UK in 2009. 

I thought I would share some of the great feedback we received from people who attended:



    • I enjoyed the experience and learned a lot
    • How creative dyslexic people are
    • I have found out some useful information that has made me feel happy
    • Informed and confident
    • Inspired and happy
    • Like I have kindred spirits in Scotland Fantastic
    • Very happy so interesting to hear so many and empowered speaking about the creativity of dyslexics
    • Inspiring and Insightful
    • Amazing justified in how I speak about dyslexia 
    • Just such a great event loved it
    •  Very confident, able and creative
    • Fab, Important Valid
    • Amazing!!!
    • Great fun would love come to another one next year


A big thanks to Dr Ross Cooper (keynote speaker), The Lord Provost of Fife (who opened our event) and to Anita Govan Dyslexia poet and all the other performers at our event.

Some of the great feedback we received from participants who attended out five free Unique Dyslexic Get Creative workshops:

  • I feel happy and more confident
  • Good banter and love doing anything creative
  • I had fun and enjoyed meeting people like myself / sharing
  • Inspired and happy
  • Included and free to express myself
  • Belonging / idea provoking, included
  • Happy and not alone with my dyslexia
  • I have really enjoyed it and feel more educated on the technical side of music
  • I have enjoyed the experience and learned a lot
  • Inspired, tired and full
  • Free
  • Very confident, able and creative
  • Absolutely brilliant and a real sense of achievement
  • Amazing!!!
  • Relaxed, giggly, calm, happy
  • Happy, accepted, therapeutic
  • Good de stressing relaxing fun
  • Great fun would love to do it again
  • Clever and energized
  • Good about myself and meeting people like me
  • Talkative and creative, more confident talking to others
  • Food for thought, included, looking forward, satisfied
  • I really feel creative and enjoyed this workshop
  • Belonging, satisfied, further alerted to my potential
  • I felt celebrated about having dyslexia
So please support our Unique Dyslexic Crowd Funding and enable us to share, support and promote our vision of positive social model of dyslexia.

#PeaceLoveGroovyness to you all

Steve McCue