Autumn Newsletter 2021

Welcome to our first Autumn Edition of the Dear Dyslexic Newsletter.  It has been an extremely busy start to the year. I can’t believe it is already the end of March. What a different space we are all in compared to this time last year. For me things seem to be getting back to the new normal and we have lots of exciting things to share with you. So, let’s get started!

First, I will be heading off on maternity leave from the 1st of April and will be returning in July (all going to plan).  In my absence, the DDF board and volunteers will be running the show and I know the wheels will keep turning while I’m enjoying some family time with our new addition who is arriving imminently.
 
To celebrate return to higher education during the month of March we provided a number of different resources and ran our first Questions Dys and Mental Health and Thriving series for the year. You can catch up on our activities which are outlined below.

DHub goes live

We are so thrilled to announce the DHub has had a facelift and with the support of PointsBuild, Dr Judith Hudson, Sally Close and Jennifer Arnold we have created our very first eLearning Course: Dyslexia in the Workplace. This is the first in a series of 4 courses that will assist learners to develop knowledge and understanding of dyslexia in the workplace. We also have webisodes, taped online webinars and of course you can find all our podcasts there as well! Find out more at the DHub.

Education Month 

To celebrate return to higher education during the month of March we provided a number of different resources and ran our first Questions Dys and Mental Health and Thriving series for the year. You can catch up on our activities which are outlined below.

• Dr Laura Dickinson will talk about what a learning advisor at university can do and how they help
• Question Dys with Nathan Batham on surviving and thriving at university. Register for free through the DDF website. 
• Mental Health and Thriving Series kicks off this year with Kristal Lau Psychologist & Clinical Neuropsychologist talking about dyslexia and assessments and how these can help when studying. Register for free through the DDF website.

Study Support and Success as a University Student Blog

Our latest blog is out written by Dr Laura Dickenson. This month Dr Laura Dickenson wrote a blog on how students returning to or commencing higher education could access Language and Learning Support.  Laura is a LLS Officer at Deakin University and is also a tutor. You can read Laura's full article here.

Question Dys 

Question Dys with Nathan Batham on surviving and thriving at university. In this episode, Nathan shares his experiences of completing secondary school and the ups and downs of Uni life. Most importantly, he speaks about what you can achieve when you put your mind to it, and you have the right tools in place to support you. This is an inspirational interview not to be missed. Watch now

Mental Health and Thriving Series

Mental Health and Thriving Series kicks off this year with Kristal Lau Psychologist & Clinical Neuropsychologist talking about dyslexia and assessments and how these can help when studying. Watch now

Throw Back Podcast 

Sponsor a podcast

In other news

We would like to say thank you and goodbye to James Sedman, who recently resign from the Board of DDF. Over the last 2 years James has worked tirelessly with the Board especially helping DDF in advocacy with state and federal governments. It was through his work in QLD that we were able to connect with Senator Amanda Stoker and MP Trevor Watts and launch our campaign in QLD and with the Federal Government.  We will miss James and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

DDF Research 

We are excited to announce in the coming months we will be launching our PhD support group. Over the recent year we have had many enquiries from PhD students who have dyslexia and are seeking additional help. With the support of Dr Judith Hudson who supervises PhD students we will be running group session that provide peer support and will have experts in different fields coming to share their experience and expertise.

Student Placement

Over the past few months, we have been lucky enough to have Kathryn join our team on student placement. Kathryn has been working hard to help us establish our PhD support group. We would like to thank Kathryn for all her hard work during this time. Here is what Kathryn had to say about her time with DDF. Read what Kathryn had to say

Make a difference this end of financial year

The foundation is a grassroots not-for-profit social enterprise focused on empowering and assisting those with hidden learning disabilities. It takes a community of support to keep doing our work. Together we are strong, alone we are nothing and with your help, we can change the world for young people and adults with dyslexia so they can live healthier, happier more connected lives.

We know that:

• 1 in 10 people have dyslexia
• Dyslexic adults are 46% more likely to attempt suicide compared to the general population
• Up to 40% of incarcerated people have been identified as dyslexic

Your urgent donation is needed now:
DDF knows that it takes on average 10 years to establish itself as a self-sustaining social enterprise. We operate on a minimal budget and without any government funding at this stage. To continue the work of the foundation, we need critical funds and increased awareness of our service offering across local communities of Australia.

Be part of the journey. Through your support, we can continue to help young people and adults with dyslexia. Here is what one community member had to say about the help they received: