Kara Tointon of Eastenders fame gives an insight into her own dyslexia

You may have missed the recent documentary by Kara Tointon called ‘ Don’t call me stupid’.  If you did and you would like an insight into her experience of dyslexia and how she manages it click here.

The Godmothers – keeping UN Women on Track

Help end discrimination that keeps millions of women in poverty. The Godmothers is a group of men and women who think women everywhere deserve a chance.

February 2011 is UCL Diversity Month

There’s a full programme of free events to celebrate diversity and examine the challenges some groups face in education, work and society more generally. The theme of the programme this year is Making connections, challenging assumptions. Examples of events include: Film screenings every Wednesday 18:30 in the AV Hill LT. Films to include: You live and burn (69′), (Finland – Iiris Härmä, Finland 2007); The Last Summer of La Boyita (93′) (El ultimo verano de La Boyita: Julia Solomonoff, Argentina 2009); Diary of a Times Square Thief (60′) (USA (New York), The Netherlands (Amsterdam) – Klaas Bense, The Netherlands 2008);To the Marriage of True Minds (12′), (Andrew Steggall UK 2009); Eddie and Thea (61′) (Gréta Olafsdóttir and Susan Muska 2009) (Documentary). On 1 February: 13:00-14:00: ‘Pinkstinks: the end of childhood. Why the obsession with femininity is bad for little girls’ by Abi Moore of Pinkstinks, which is a campaign and social enterprise that challenges the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls’ lives. This talk will look at the boundaries taught to young girls and will discuss the damaging messages about what it is to be a girl. 2 February 18:00-19:30 “White Lies: racism, class and educational inequality”, Professor Gillborn, Institute of Education. The lecture will review how an image of white people as the new race victims has been created and look beneath this facade to explore the continuing significance of racism as a daily reality in education, from primary schools to universities. It will be followed by a panel discussion including Hugh Muir (Guardian Journalist) and Gloria Hyatt MBE (pioneer of the country’s first school independent school for black and minority ethnic students.)  10 February 18:00-19:00 Queer in the time of terro, by Dr. Rahul Rao, School of Oriental and African Studies. This talk will look at recent Western activist initiatives responding to the apparent persecution of homosexuals in Iran. Dr. Rao will look at some of the ways in which LGBT rights activism has become entangled in the security preoccupations and panics of the ongoing ‘war on terror’ and will consider some of the dilemmas of LGBT activists in the Middle East, as well as LGBT activists of colour in the West, in responding to these entanglements. 22 February 18:00-19:30 Leading the way and opening doors Members of Age Concern’s Opening Doors Central London Project will be speaking about their experiences of being gay or lesbian in far less liberal times – examining how society has changed over the decades as a direct result of tireless campaigning for LGBT equality. Full programme and to register here.

Exciting opportunities for students with disabilities with EmployAbility

EmployAbility is a not for profit organisation providing a free service to students and graduates with all disabilities, including dyslexia or long term health conditions, to ease the transition from education to employment.

They are currently recruiting for paid opportunities for disabled students/ graduates of all disciplines, but for immediate deadlines looking for those studying Computer Science, Information Technology, Maths, Physics, Engineering, Business/Finance/Marketing.

Diversity in the Media

The media industry has been notorious in the past for their inability to reflect the nations make-up, both on screen and within their work force.  And in today’s climate, with the frequency of unpaid work experience and internships, are they any closer to addressing this issue?
The Guardian, in association with the BBC, Chanel 4, Sky and ITV has an established website (Diversity in Media ) exploring topical issues of diversity within the media.  It covers most areas of diversity and is a really good resource for anyone interested in perusing a career within the media.   The articles are frequently updated and changed and there is a chance to voice your own opinions within the feedback sections.
The old adage of  ‘it’s who you know, not what you know’ still does apply within this industry so get out there, attend events, enter competitions, look at the work schemes and put yourself in the spotlight.  Starting by understanding what is current within an industry is the best way to begin this process.

Is it time for radical solutions when it comes to getting poorer students into top universities?

There is an interesting article in the education section of The Independent today that focuses on the reasons why poorer students tend to have difficulty accessing higher education in top UK universities.  It also suggests some new approaches that could be used to improve access.

Dyslexic teacher wins outstanding new teacher award

Despite facing setbacks at school due to his severe dyslexia, Edward Vickerman pursued his dream to be a teacher and has clearly become a great success! I found it a really inspiring story, and illuminating to see how he got there.

Overcoming barriers

Edward didn’t take no for an answer when two teaching colleges turned him down because of his dyslexia. He sought out the college that would proactively support him and help work through potential problems. He also refused to be rail-roaded into staying in hotel management, or the family business – it is clear he had to be determined to pursue his career choice.

When it comes to his students, from the start he tells them upfront about his dyslexia, how it might affect aspects of his work such as in marking, and then he moves on.

For Edward, being dyslexic means he has had to find a range of ways to teach, rather than just ‘chalk and talk’. In particular he has embraced new technologies as well as active learning methods. This creativity in approach has benefited students too as the variety engages them, and for some they discover different ways to learn that completely transforms their attitude to classwork.

See The Guardian’s story for more details, and listen to Edward Vickerman talk about his experiences.

The new Reach website is going to feature inspiring stories such as this – coming early November…