Dyslexia Awareness Week is to be marked in East Kent with a workshop where experts will present basic strategies and tools to help untap the potential of people who feel dyslexia is holding them back in life.

The workshop 'Could Dyslexia be holding you back! Explore the journey to open horizons' will take place Canterbury Christ Church University's Hall Place Enterprise Centre, Harbledown, Canterbury, on 5th November. It is being sponsored by Canterbury Christ Church University in partnership with Business Link's East Kent Enterprise Gateway Service and the British Dyslexia Association.

Learning challenges facing people with dyslexia will be explored and practical advice will be given on how to take the next steps to overcome the problems they face.

Leading the workshop, will be fellow dyslexics including Janette Beetham, whose challenges were identified when she was in her 30's after enrolling at Canterbury Christ Church University to start a degree course. "If dyslexic people have not had the help they need it can be like driving a Porsche motor car with the hand break on," said Janette, who now runs training courses on behalf of the British Dyslexia Association. "Once they get help with strategy development and are made aware of the software that is now available it is amazing to see how dyslexic people start to take off."

Advice will also be given by entrepreneur John Tipping, who was labelled a troublemaker at school, but who has now written an autobiography about his life with dyslexia and what strategies he has developed to make his life a success. "I like to take every opportunity to say what ever the disability you have you can always achieve more than you think. Workshops like this help people to move on."

Also at the event will be Canterbury Christ Church University's newly appointed Student Dyslexia and Nuero-diversity Adviser Jolene Svoboda who will be advising on aids to help both the student with study, as well as some technology which is available to help in the workplace.

The workshop is open to anyone who has, or is connected with dyslexia or would like to know more about the subject such as those wishing to take up higher education, employers and employees. The workshop will start at 9.15am and finishes at 12.45 with lunch.

For more information and to reserve a place on the workshop contact Jenny Overy at Canterbury Christ Church University on 01227 782672 or e-mail jenny.overy@canterbury.ac.uk

Source
Claire Draper

Canterbury Christ Church University