News & events

AchieveAbility would like to pay tribute to the work undertaken by Dyslexia Action. We are so sad to hear that Dyslexia Action will no longer exist. However we are very pleased to hear that the Dyslexia Action training will still remain.

Dyslexia Action were key partners for AchieveAbility when in 2004 we were a UK national project. Margaret Rooms was integral to our success and made our work a joy with the consistent support of Dyslexia Action. They were excellent in their collaboration by sharing expertise and knowledge for the greater good of dyslexic people. Over 40 years Dyslexia Action provided key services to dyslexic individuals. They were early pioneers who worked to establish an understanding of dyslexia so all of us might benefit.

Barry Sheerman MP
Katherine Hewlett
Ross Cooper
Pierre Marsh
Debra Kelly
Graeme Hall
Melanie Thorley
Craig Kennady
Kevin Maskell
(AchieveAbility Board)

AchieveAbility is working with Camden Recovery unit and St Mungos to bring skills and resources to those who are in recovery and Neurodivergent

We are working with those who are most in need to ensure a better future with the REFUND project

REFUND: Recovery and education for undiagnosed Neurodivergence

The program is unique and will be for those in recovery who are:
dyslexic or ADHD, autistic dyspraxia, dyscalculia or asperger’s.
This is called being ‘ Neurodivergent’ and can be strength.
Camden Recovery Service have teamed up with AchieveAbility a
user lead charity to provide the following:
• Sessions about your strengths and skills
• Mentoring to progress to employment & training
• Networking opportunities with successful role models
• Short courses to give you the skills for:
Reading- writing- presentations- form filling-communication
computer work- CV’s- job hunting- note taking- spelling
• Professional accredited training sessions
• Advice, guidance and reference opportunities

The debate panel will be collecting the main points to circulate in the near future with a call for action. Thank you so much for your contributions!

In the mean time the key themes to come out of the debate were the following:

The need for Neurodiverse adults

• To have proper representation by working together for a collective voice – a coherent lobby for a coherent message. This is about what we do and linking up with allies

‘nothing about us, without us’

• The need for greater emphasis on results rather than the process – with changes put in place for alternative testing and assessment in the workplace and in education.

• A need for consistency in systems such as Access to Work, Job Centre Plus and the Disability Student Allowance to ensure that Neurodiverse adults can access this support

• Clarity on the legislation that is in plain English

• Accessibility of information on a web site populated with videos and images

The Department for Work and Pensions has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (16122):

1) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many apprentices who have dyslexia have received support from the Access to Work fund in each of the last five years. (16122)
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
Answer:
Justin Tomlinson:
The Government does not collate data on the number of apprentices with dyslexia who have received support from Access for Work.
However, the overall number of people with dyslexia who are helped by Access to Work has been steadily increasing. In 2014/15, 4,560 people who reported dyslexia as their primary condition were supported by the scheme.
The answer was submitted on 23 Nov 2015 at 12:02.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (16126)

2) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the total number of Employment Support Fund claimants were claimants with dyslexia in each of the last five years. (16126)
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
Answer:
Joseph Johnson:
Employment Support Funds are maintained and dispensed by University Student Unions. They are typically used to provide support for the cost of attending an interview for a job or further study. Government is not responsible for this funding and we therefore do not hold the data requested.
The answer was submitted on 20 Nov 2015 at 11:04.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (16131):

3) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to disabled students’ allowances on students with dyslexia. (16131)
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
Answer:
Joseph Johnson:
The Government has undertaken an Equality Analysis of the proposed changes to DSAs. The Equality Analysis will be published alongside the Government response to the consultation.
The answer was submitted on 20 Nov 2015 at 11:05.

4) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that higher education institutions make appropriate provision for disabled students who do not have complex needs. (16134)
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:
1. To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve the provision of education for and support offered to dyslexic students in higher education outwith the provision of disabled students’ allowances. (16127) 
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
2. To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote joint work between special needs assessors and disability advisers within universities on ensuring that appropriate support is given and provision made for disabled students and for students with dyslexia. (16133) 
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
Answer:
Joseph Johnson:
Higher education institutions are responsible for meeting their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, including for students with dyslexia.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (16126):

5) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what evaluation he has conducted on the extent to which universities cater to the needs of disabled students. (19504)
Tabled on: 10 December 2015
This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:
1. To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on satisfaction levels of (a) non-disabled and (b) disabled students of their experience in higher education. (19503) 
Tabled on: 10 December 2015
Answer:
Joseph Johnson:
The National Student Survey (NSS) annually gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their course. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a separate report in 2014 which provides analysis on the differences between NSS results for different student characteristics over the period 2005-2013.

6) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Independent Adjudicator can monitor the implementation by higher education institutions of provision for disabled students who do not have complex needs. (19505)
Tabled on: 10 December 2015
Answer:
Joseph Johnson:
Higher education institutions have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled students and to monitor their compliance with their Equality Act duties. The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 require institutions to publish information as to their compliance with the general public sector equality duty.
Students who are dissatisfied with the provision of support, and raise their concerns through their institution’s formal complaints procedures, can then also take their case to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. This is a free service for the student.

7) Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of dyslexic students who will receive disabled students’ allowances in each of the next five years. (16128)
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:
1. To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of recipients of disabled students’ allowances had dyslexia in each of the last five years. (16130) 
Tabled on: 13 November 2015
Answer:
Joseph Johnson:
The Student Loans Company (SLC) administers student support for each of the UK Government Administrations. The number and proportion of new applicants deemed by SLC to be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) is set out in the attached table.

Santander in Redbridge has kindly funded AchieveAbility by £4,000 to support adult dyslexics in the borough and East London.

AchieveAbility is working with Redbridge Libraries for this provision.

THANK YOU SANTANDER

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Please support our crowdfunding campaign, which will fund:

The Festival of Dyslexic Culture

1. Free Festival tickets for low income dyslexic (and overlapping neurodivergent) participants

2. Recording equipment to record and broadcast the Festival

You can support the campaign by buying a Tshirt, wearing it with pride, and donations on the crowdfunding site:

ACHIEVEABILITY LIMITED is now a charity and has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1161856.

The Charity Commission decision to register was based on their assessment of the information supplied during the application process and the declarations given in the trustee declaration form and they are satisfied that ACHIEVEABILITY is established for charitable purposes only for the public benefit.

Katherine Hewlett

AchieveAbility Trustees, Board members, friend, colleagues and clients are delighted with this outcome.

AchieveAbility hosted a debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday 25 March.

Debate title: ‘Future Party Proposals and Dyslexic Neurodiverse Communities’

The debate chaired by Barry Sheerman MP followed by Dr Ross Cooper opened up discussion on what can work and what changes can happen for greater cohesive involvement of dyslexic and neurodiverse individuals in society.

Panel members were: Lord Addington, Kelvin Hopkins MP, Pat Edwards CEO Newtec, Dr Chantal Davies; Director of the Forum for Equality and Diversity University of Chester and Dr Nicki Martin; SouthBank University.

Over 100 people attended

The following were the debate themes

1. Collective Voice
The meeting expressed a collective voice that called for social justice equality to ensure the recognition of diversity of intelligence, and opportunities to express knowledge and skill utilising that wider range of intelligences.

2. Teacher Training, education and exams
The debate recognised the urgent need for embedded teacher training on dyslexia and neurodiversity so that education can become inclusive. In particular, exams must be changed so that they can capture our intellectual contributions, rather than disable us.

3. Human value
The meeting asserted our capacity to make a hugely positive, creative and innovative contribution, but, in contrast, endemic disabling systems often mean that we become demonised and can become a drain on social resources. There therefore continues to be a huge loss to society of dyslexic and neurodiverse talent, which impoverishes the world.

4. Social model of dyslexia and neurodiversity
There was a strong consensus that dyslexia and neurodiversity is about difference, not disability. But a clear recognition that our community is disabled, incapacitated and invalidated by current social and educational systems leading to the experience of difficulties for individuals. However, we flourish where we are valued for who we are, and allowed to express and develop our ways of holistic thinking. This is a human right, and is largely protected by current legislation even though it is rarely enforced.

5. Social inclusion, social justice and equality and the workplace
Dyslexia is currently misperceived as primarily an academic issue, when most of us are positioned in the practical world, even if the evidence is that we are more likely to be excluded from education and employment. This is despite our great successes in the creative industries, entrepreneurial activity and the caring professions. Greater emphasis should be placed on the dyslexic and neurodiverse lived experience and our on shared voice articulating the changes from which the whole society would benefit.

6. Strategy
The meeting argued for collective action, a 5 year strategic plan to match the political timetable, closer staging posts such as a call for more dyslexia awareness focused on our strengths, and a specific need to change assessment systems and processes so that they become more inclusive and accessible and thereby support academic standards more effectively.

Thanks go to:
Ross Cooper, Katherine Hewlett, Maria O’Conor. Kevin Maskell, Pierre Marsh

for the collation of this information

Redbridge Small Grants Fund have kindly funded a new set of courses for adults who are dyslexic.

The courses will take place at Redbridge Central Library, IT suite, strengthening an excellent collaboration with Redbridge Library.

Following a review of 11 courses already delivered for Redbridge, and the surrounding areas, the new set of 6 courses place more emphasis on skills for:

reading, writing and verbal communication skills. The purpose will be for course participants to successfully enter employment , training or education.

The courses will have an intake of up to 6 people for each course and each person will have access to their own computer.

The first course will start as from Wednesday 22 July 6-8pm and will happen each Wednesday thereafter for 6 sessions.

Please contact:

info@achieveability.org.uk

THINK…BEYOND THE BOX – NEURODIVERSITY AT WORK- MEDIACITYUK SALFORD- FEBRUARY 12TH *

BBC North Careers

On Behalf of AchieveAbility; Heather Symonds attended the BBC North session.

Summary of day
‘BBC 2014 Research Project aimed at ascertaining awareness and attitudes towards workers with hidden cognitive conditions. Accepting 1in 25 people process things differently: looking at recruitment/support/managing employees.’
Findings presented using formal presentations on the day. -Panel and later Focus Group of invited experts led by BBC.

Panel members included Deputy Chair from BDA- Lord Northbrook and Head of Oakwood Academy, A.Nicholson (School for 11-18 under complex differences remit) and reps from Employment and Training together with BBC Disability personnel.

The presentations were quite diverse; there was a good news flagship from Oakwood School regarding pupil suitability for work and IT capabilities or interactive multimedia. A suggestion of ‘loner’ AS able to undertake intensive computer posts but needed support to be routinised. Support and mentoring models were offered. BBC personnel talked about their support for employees, strategies of transport and environment, which seemed on request and Access to work related. Lord Northbrook, as a dyslexic, he made the major point of requesting short emails in good font no more than 4 lines or he did not respond as an example of work practice. The feeling seemed to be once aware there was support and the units at BBC would do their best and welcomed those with cognitive differences it was more staff needed to be aware.

The response from the floor was varied from underscoring the notions of support by BBC and those who felt it was patronising and largely negative portrayals of neurodiversity, this was emphasised by an industrialist with dyslexia and ADHD. Little was made of the material from several years ago at Canary Wharf by the BDA on the fact that 95% of Britain’s’ entrepreneurs are dyslexic and that the loss was greater than suggested.
A reality check on BBC progress -20,000 Employees and only 4% declared a disability of any sort.
Questions from the floor revealed some figures that were typical of poor student identification in HE; 16 years previously so quite late to greater awareness.

The half hour focus group was with a small group of BBC senior staff and representatives from external organisations, including Achievability.
The aim originally was to get a few recommendations and we did produce some recommendations regarding support for those with a specific neurodiversity but the umbrella is too large to be specific which the expert groups agreed upon.

Feedback from the day was reproduced as stats based on an online format BBC feedback (such as a Monkey survey):
23% of 28% who had previously had limited awareness would seek to improve awareness, leaving 5% who wouldn’t bother. Only 3% of this group audience would commit to actually employing someone who was neurodiverse. The neurodiverse invitees were already cognisant of the BBC position on awareness and the employment.

Suggestions in the focus group:
1.Using 360 Appraisals to include equal opps action taken that year (Inc. neurodiversity focus).
2.Use HE research and work undertaken to include all funded projects as a basis for change.

My summary was that that best research needed to be engaged with and that rather than a definition of neurodiversity as hidden cognitive difference it is preferable for ‘neurodiversity to be described as a concept where neurological differences are to be recognised and respected’.

Best result of the day:
BBC interactive and digital specialists produce better assistive style technology than currently on offer from DSA style companies, including sound headphones that deafened all noise but conversation.

Recommendation: They should promote these and successes in their sector.

Recommendation: Perhaps defining inclusion would have been a better starting point for the unaware.

Summary produced by Heather Symonds

Distributed by Margaret Burgin
Future Skills Manager BBC
March 2015