British Dyslexia Association supports Mersey Care NHS Trust with launch of dyslexia and dyspraxia network
Friday 26 July 2019
The British Dyslexia Association had the great pleasure to provide support to Mersey Care NHS Trust this week in the preparation for the launch of their dyslexia and dyspraxia network. This is will be a new initiative for the Trust that is being driven forward by Wes Baker, himself dyslexic, who’s role is Strategic Accountant, Transformation and Integration at the trust.
Why are dyslexia networks so important?
We know that at least ten percent of the population are dyslexic, so that’s ten percent of the workforce, ten percent of the service users and ten percent of the customer base, and ten percent of the recruitment pool. That’s a lot of people!
Dyslexia networks provide a safe place for people to meet and discuss the issues that are affecting them, tap into peer support, decompress, share tips and ideas and be open about the challenges and concerns that they might have. They are also a vehicle for change providing a united voice working with others to improve and mainstream best practice to support dyslexic and other neuro-diverse individuals. They are good for employees to reduce stress and anxiety and great for employers to support their employees effectively leading to a workforce that feels valued.
So, often through the work that the British Dyslexia Association does with assessments and workplace needs assessments, we find dyslexic adults who feel vulnerable and isolated at work. They are frightened to disclose their dyslexia due to ignorance and fear of being judged by outdated perceptions. Employee networks are a proactive and effective way of not just raising awareness but also to empower individuals, enabling them to value their uniqueness and individuality.
The British Dyslexia Association has worked with numerous organisations to develop these networks and has produced a helpful guide that is available here.