Dyslexia Awareness Week: What's Your Story?

As we near the end of Dyslexia Awareness Week, I’ve been reminded over the past few days just how unique every journey with dyslexia is and how it can shape people’s lives. For me, my dyslexia meant that there were many ups and downs - especially growing up, because I struggled to learn in the same way as the other kids. And yet, despite that, I can truly say hand on heart that I wouldn’t be where I am today without it, and I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire someone else's dyslexia journey!

When I look back at my time in schooling, I think it’s fair to say that it was a challenging period - I know it certainly felt like that at the time! Dyslexia just wasn’t a ‘thing’ when I was growing up, and because I couldn’t learn in the same way as the other kids, I was often labelled as ‘thick’ and put in the bottom sets. But I remember deciding early on that I was not going to let this influence my life or define me.

To just be able to keep up with the other kids, I had to find workarounds and think outside the box to get the answers. Even though my route often involved zigzagging about to get to the answer, I would always get there in the end, and that ability to be able to think outside the box meant that by the time I got to the world of work - an environment where you had to problem solve - I found I was in my element; as I said before, I truly believe that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my dyslexia.

Because of the role dyslexia has played in my personal journey, I’ve always been passionate about empowering those with dyslexia to embrace it so that they can reach their full potential. And, over the past year, I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with the British Dyslexia Association as their Dyslexia Empowerment Patron - a role that enables me to do just that.

In my role as Dyslexia Empowerment Patron, I recently visited a local school that is putting many things in place to support their children, be inclusive, and gain their Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark. It was a fantastic experience and showed the difference that this kind of support can have on dyslexic children, particularly during such formative years.?

To have had that kind of support in place back when I was a young boy could have made a difference for so many more people with dyslexia, who continued their challenges after school and into their work life. I’m pleased to see that times have changed and that things are getting better, but there is still much to do.

Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes and whether a parent, a carer, a grandparent or a teacher, you can be that positive difference in someone’s story. The important thing to remember, and what I have taken away from the big message this Dyslexia Awareness Week, is that it is never too late to change your story…or importantly, help someone with theirs.???