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Jersey will become the first dyslexia friendly country in the world. That is the aim of Dyslexia Jersey, the charity that offers advice and support for dyslexics in the Island.
Dyslexia Jersey Connect Interview from Bailiwick Publishing on Vimeo.
Jersey will become the first dyslexia friendly country in the world. That is the aim of Dyslexia Jersey, the charity that offers advice and support for dyslexics in the Island.
It is estimated that more than 10,000 Islanders may have the condition, for which there is no cure. Dyslexia is sometimes thought of as a hidden condition, because there are no physical signs and those with the condition often don’t publicly admit they have it for fear of prejudice at school or at work.
Dyslexia Jersey has launched the campaign ‘Embrace the Difference, Unlock the Potential’, which could see the States of Jersey and up to 50% of businesses following best practice within five years.
Dr Alessio Agostinis, Chartered Consultant Clinical Psychologist working with the charity in Jersey said: ‘It is important that people feel able to discuss their dyslexia openly and without fear. Early detection of the condition can help us advise a course of action for schools and employers, which need not be expensive or disruptive but which can make an enormous difference for the person with dyslexia. It is about taking time and learning to understand the challenges that the individual has to overcome. The evidence shows that when this happens, we unlock skills and potential which benefit the individual, the organisation and society generally.’
Sarah Peel, Chairperson of Dyslexia Jersey said: ‘Dyslexia is officially classified as a Special Learning Difficulty, which is a recognised disability. But we prefer to look at it as a different way of learning. If you consider the hundreds of famous and successful people with dyslexia who have contributed so much to our lives through science, art, entertainment and business, it’s clear that dyslexics have so much to offer, if only people would open their minds to the possibilities. The potential for Jersey, if our campaign is successful, could be very significant indeed.’
The campaign to make Jersey the first dyslexia friendly country is gathering political support. Constable Phil Rondel of St. John, who is dyslexic, says it should not be allowed to hold people back from reaching their true potential. Constable Rondel appears in a new video for the charity alongside other dyslexics who talk about how they have overcome their difficulties to succeed in life.
Simon Crowcroft, Constable of St. Helier, has also joined the campaign. He is supporting plans to develop an accreditation scheme for schools, employers and other organisations which would be based on the British Dyslexic Association’s Quality Mark scheme. Constable Crowcroft says government should lead the way and he will be working with the charity to encourage the States to be among the first groups to achieve accredited status.
Dyslexia Jersey has re-launched its website www.dyslexiajersey.org.uk and set up social media sites to build support for the campaign and to increase awareness of the condition, how it can be identified and give advice about how to work with dyslexic people and help unlock their potential.
‘We believe that Jersey can set a standard for the rest of the world’, said Sarah Peel. ‘We will strive to encourage government, schools and businesses to open their eyes and discover the potential benefits that dyslexics can bring them. We want anyone who has dyslexia to feel comfortable to say they are dyslexic to their friends, family or employers without the fear or stigma that often arises out of ignorance about what dyslexia is and how it affects people’.
