Hello everyone, I hope you are doing well. As we lead up to the end of this financial year we at DDF hope that you can help us reach our target of $15,000 to ensure that our vital peer support services, our advocacy work, Australian first research and educational training programs can continue to be delivered.

Off the back of two long and scary years of COVID we are now trying to return to the life we once had, though we all know nothing is quite as it was and it is taking time to recover from the trauma we have all faced.

On a personal note, the last year for me has been the hardest trying to keep DDF alive, learning how to be a mum and supporting and being there for my mum is unwell, some days I have wanted to hide from the world. But it has been through the ongoing love, support and generosity from you our community and businesses such as Pointsbuild, CRSE Group, Elite Roads, Parkinson Group, IMC Learning, AFG and Acronem Consulting Australia who have helped to drive DDF over the last year.

We have achieved a substantial amount over the last 12 months for a very small social enterprise running through volunteers. We ran our first virtual dyslexic adult-focused conference and attended public hearings to ensure the adult dyslexic voice was heard, continuing our podcasts, with over 50 episodes and more than 26000 downloads internationally. This resource continues to fill a need for adults with dyslexia and is one of our most important ways of sharing stories across the globe.

Our Australia's first eLearning courses support workplaces to have a better understanding of their dyslexic staff and the qualities they bring. Our coaching, tutoring and peer support programs continue to expand. We provide the only 1800 peer support phoneline program in Australia and the demands and need is growing sometimes I take 3 to 4 calls a day from adults who have just been diagnosed,who are struggling at work or at home, who feel isolated, embarrassed and frustrated. They have been bullied and discriminated against with nowhere to go and no one to talk too.

What I am most proud of is the majority of our work is Australian firsts, we are one of the only adult-focused not for profits not just in Australia but I have been told worldwide. As we come to the end of this financal year I am filled with gratitude to the number of adults who have connected with us who finally after sitting quietly for too long have taken the brave step to say I need help, I don’t want to feel alone anymore, I don’t want to feel ashamed.

 

Dyslexia is a disability that doesn’t go away and as we transition from school into the workplace the struggles we face throughout life are really, for many they are unsupported. We invest so much into children as we should we know early intervention is the key to improving quality of life outcomes, but children grow up and we must not forget the young people and the adults who are out there trying to navigate a world filled with words, a world that is yet to adapt to our needs so we not just survive but thrive. We know young people and adults with dyslexia face significant challenges in the workplace and in their home lives, they are twice as like to have depression and anxiety and are 46% more likely to attempt suicide compared to the rest of the population. Our own research with La Trobe University shows that Australian adults with dyslexia had significantly lower levels of mental health including low self-confidence, poor self-esteem and mental fatigue.

That’s why I am here today asking you to continue to support our vital work so we can ensure young people and adults with dyslexia are able to access the supports and services they need to live healthy, happy lives.

Right now our future is in your hands and I hope you will join us to continue to create a brighter future for those with dyslexia.