Dyslexia @ Work: a seminar for HR specialists and graduate recruiters
New insights, new challenges, new strategies.
Date: November 5th 2010
Venue: Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, Farnham, Surrey
Cost: £75
To download a registration form as a pdf, click here
The issues
The world or education has finally come to terms with dyslexia and society makes sensible and reasonable adjustments throughout education up to even postgraduate level. Students get more time and more support – and rightly so as many dyslexics are amongst the most intelligent proportion of the population. A good working definition of dyslexia for the purposes of this event is ‘an individual of strong intellectual potential who is unable to fulfill that potential due to specific difficulties in literacy – dyslexia’.
New research, carried out at Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, shows that this recognition and acceptance of dyslexia has led to more students at undergraduate level being formally assessed as dyslexic. Indications are that this is an exponential trend. It is hard to know where this will end, but employers are faced with the fact that more and more graduate job applicants will be dyslexic.
Under the DDA, now superseded by the Equality Act 2010, disabled people are protected the moment they apply for a job.
In the adult workplace however dyslexia is a much more hidden conundrum – there will be many dyslexics, in all levels of employment, who remain ‘anonymous’ or undiagnosed. At a time when the provisions of the DDA are being more broadly felt in the work environment, and there is pressure to reduce headcount, HR professionals need to be aware of how dyslexia may impact on their plans and policies, training professionals need to be both reactive and pro-active to the challenges...
If dyslexia in itself is a conundrum, dyslexia at work can be doubly so. This afternoon ‘Master Class’, with a dual focus on the challenges and practical solutions, brings together experts to discuss dyslexia, its consequences and its benefits in the workplace. It sets out to identify the issues and offer strategic responses and solutions for the cost effective identification of dyslexics and the reasonable adjustments required.
Who should attend:
- HR professionals
- Graduate recruiters
- In-house occupational health managers
- Training professionals
- Recruitment strategists
Dyslexia @ Work: the programme
- New insights into the demography of dyslexia
- Al Campbell
- The dyslexic employee – pros and cons
- Bernadette McLean
- Is your business dyslexic-friendly?
- Vicki McNichol
The speakers
Al Campbell, BSc is a dyslexic, a business strategist, and author of the acclaimed book A Dyslexic Writes. Al has just finished a major piece of research into the demography and profile of dyslexia within the UK and will discuss new insights and implications. For further information on Al visit www.adyslexicwrites.co.uk
Bernadette McLean, BA, MA, DipEd DipRSA(SpLD), NLP Mast. Pract. Cert (ANLP), is Principal of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, the UK’s first and longest running specialist dyslexia unit. Bernadette is an expert in all aspects of adult dyslexia and dyslexia in the workplace, and will discuss how best and most cost-effectively to identify dyslexia in adults, and the benefits dyslexics can offer to employers. For further information visit www.helenarkelldyslexiacentre.org
Vicki McNicol, Dip RSA(SpLD) trained at Helen Arkell and specializes in dyslexia among adults, dyslexia in relation to the DDA, ‘reasonable adjustments’ and best practice in making the working environment ‘dyslexia friendly’.
Dr Nasser Siabi is the CEO and the founder of Microlink PC which is the largest supplier of Assistive Technology Solutions within the UK and Europe. He has been an active member of Employer Forum on Disability (EFD) and the Business Task Force on Accessible Technology (BTAT) and a founding member of British Assistive Technology Association (BATA).
The session will end with Q & A.
For more information or to book a place call Bernadette McLean on 01252 792 400