Research Participants Wanted!
I am carrying out a project to find out what it is like to be a teenager living with dyspraxia in the UK. So far I have carried out interviews with teenagers aged 13 and 14 years – I am now looking for participants who will be aged 15 in January 2012 to tell me what life is like for them. Participants need to have a diagnosis of dyspraxia (they can have another diagnosis too, but dyspraxia must be the main difficulty). I am particularly keen to find some girls who would be willing to participate.
I want to find out what sort of things teenagers like doing, what things are difficult and how dyspraxia affects their lives. This will help the Dyspraxia Foundation, teachers and other people to understand what is important to teenagers who have dyspraxia so that we can provide better information and support in the future.
The project involves participating in a confidential interview with an experienced occupational therapist during February 2012. The interview will take place at the participant’s house at a time that is convenient to them.
Parents/carers will need to agree that the teenager can participate in the project, but more importantly the young person must want to be involved themselves. Parents won’t be involved in the interviews directly.
If you are interested in finding out more about the project or would like to register as one of the participants please contact the Dyspraxia Foundation team on who will forward your enquiry to the researcher. Thank you!
Dyspraxia Dynamo Project
Dyspraxia Dynamo is a project to increase employability and self advocacy skills for adults with dyspraxia. It will also make available innovative learning resources for employers, health, social care and education professionals who often misunderstand the condition. A major part of the project is the provision of a free workshop training day for adults who have dyspraxia.
Free Adult Workshops
The objectives for the workshops are to enable attendees to feel valued for their strengths and to enable them to have the opportunity to contribute their skills to an employer according to their individual ability. The attendees must be over 19 years old, may be unemployed, in education or at work. They must be looking to improve their performance and prospects in work or obtaining work.
At the end of the course the attendees should have gained:
- Personal understanding of their profiles
- Recognition of how they can bridge difficulties by deploying strengths.
- Understanding of the support mechanisms available and how to access them eg. Access to Work, DSA , 'Two Ticks'
- A plan for disclosure, when, how, whom.
- Understanding the use and availability of assistive tools, IT and ergonomic adjustments
- Knowledge of the Equalities Act , its application to themselves and the obligations on employers
- Ability to self advocate based on sound knowledge
The work shops will be held in five locations around the country as follows:
Manchester
Tuesday 13th December 2011
Britannia Hotel Manchester
Portland Street,
Manchester, M1 3LA
London
Thursday 19th January 2012
Britannia Hotel (Hampstead)
Primrose Hill Road,
Hampstead, London NW3 3NA
Newcastle
Tuesday 24th January 2012
Ponteland,
Woolsington,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE13 8DJ
Reading
Tuesday 31st January 2012
Quality Hotel Reading (Town Centre)
4-8 Duke Street ,
Reading, RG1 4RY
Worcester
24th February 2012
Worcester College of Technology
St. Wulstan's building reception
Deansway
Worcester
WR1 2JF
Reading – venue and date to be confirmed. Please contact us to register your interest. We will contact you as soon as details become available.
Worcester – venue and date to be confirmed. Please contact us to register your interest. We will contact you as soon as details become available.
Please note there has been a slight change to the start and finish times: Please arrive at 9.30am for registration. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. The day will finish approx 4.30pm
Download the Dyspraxia Dynamo project booking form.
University survey reveals challenges facing students with Dyspraxia in Awareness Week 2011
Results from the first Dyspraxia Foundation survey for Awareness Week 2011 on University life has revealed the majority of students face increased challenges.
The survey asked prospective and current students and their families on how they cope with the challenge of applying for university and life as an undergraduate.
Results from the survey showed the major of students faced major difficulties in organizing their work.
Findings from the survey showed over 60 % of students who replied had organizational difficulties and 55% of respondents cited social problems.
In the survey many described how difficult the transition was from sixth form education into university. Some described the change as overwhelming in the mve to more independent study and living.
Support from universities showed large variations with some having excellent systems in place whilst others took a few months to put the right support in place.
Chair of the Dyspraxia Foundation charity which helps 10,000 families a year Sally Payne said:" This survey has highlighted the wide range of problems dyspraxic students have. Results show the quality of support varies greatly across university from the start of the application process throughout their life as an undergraduate.
"It has shown the difficulties with organizing daily life, study, presenting work extend to social areas such as meeting new friends and feeling isolated. One strong finding that has come through is that diagnosis of dyspraxia before university can help put the right support in place. We are urging all potential students to get assessed if they believe they have symptoms.
Further work will now be done to analyse these initial research findings and they will be passed onto UCAS and the Department for Education.
The Dyspraxia Foundation has produced guidelines on further education available on the website which can help make life easier.
Statistically, it is likely that there are two children in every class of 30 children with dyspraxia and there are many adults who are unaware that they have the condition.
Helpline suspended as charity campaigns for future funding
The Dyspraxia Foundation is the only national charity in the UK working to support thousands of people affected by the condition each year. But now, due to drastic funding cuts, it has had to launch a campaign to raise urgently needed funds so the charity can continue its work.
The Foundation has faced such a severe reduction in income that it has been forced to reduce its activities, including suspending its helpline, a crucial first point of contact for many families desperate for information and support.
Chair of the Foundation, Sally Payne, said:" Reluctantly we have been forced to reduce our activities in line with our current income. We have taken the difficult decisions to close down our Norfolk Project making our two dedicated staff members redundant, and suspend our telephone helpline from 1st November to allow our team based in Hitchin to focus on supporting our membership and seeking new funding opportunities.
"We currently receive in excess of 10,000 telephone enquiries per year and over 15,000 emails asking for information and support. As soon as our future becomes clearer we will make plans to relaunch the helpline. In the meantime we are asking our local groups to provide what support they can and will keep everyone updated with the latest news on our position on our website.
"We are appealing for fundraising from all avenues. Donations can be made through the website www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk and we are encouraging membership to increase our core funding. We are a small charity with just one part time and three full time employees providing administration support and rely on membership subscription, fundraising and grants to provide much needed information and support for people affected by dyspraxia and those who live or work with them."
Many more children and adults are helped through a network of nationwide groups, which offer valuable support and activities for young people who are often denied a chance to enjoy their lives to the full.
Liam Plumridge, Trustee and Young Ambassador said: "I couldn't have coped without them. I would not have even got to university if they hadn't helped me with the support to give me the confidence to further my education."
Donate now to help the work of the Dyspraxia Foundation!
Please support the Dyspraxia Foundation and help us continue to raise awareness of dyspraxia and support those affected.
Raising awareness is vital for those we support to ensure they reach their full potential in life. As with other similar behavioural and learning difficulties once a child or adult has been officially diagnosed, then the appropriate teaching patterns can be implemented – usually within a mainstream school. These can often bring quite radical changes to a child, making a clear difference to their day-to-day life, basic skills and overall prognosis for living a 'satisfying and independent' life.
Claire (16), who was diagnosed with dyspraxia aged 11 years, says: “It was only when I changed schools that I started to feel properly supported and that the teachers really understood what dyspraxia was and how it affected me. In my previous school I was regularly bullied and left very much to my own devices, which my parents and I put down to a total lack of understanding about dyspraxia on the school's part. I used to dread PE lessons in particular because of my co-ordination problems and very often pretended to be ill just so I could go home and not have to take part.”
The country is in a double dip recession and many charities are reducing their services or closing altogether. The Dyspraxia Foundation provides a vital service receiving over 5,000 calls and emails each year but is struggling to maintain the level of support it can offer in the present financial climate.
Please make a donation today if you can help the Dyspraxia Foundation help children, young people, families and adults with dyspraxia.
Donate now at our online shop – you will need to set up an account first or use the 'Donate' PayPal button on the left column of every page.
Donate now through Charity Choice
You can also make a donation by post, or by phoning our team on: 01462 455016
Cheques should be payable to 'Dyspraxia Foundation' and sent to:
Dyspraxia Foundation
8 West Alley
Hitchin
Herts
SG5 1EG
If you are a taxpayer we can increase the value of your contribution by 25% through Gift Aid
Help the Dyspraxia Foundation by making a donation today
Thank you
DYSPRAXIA AWARENESS
New research reveals young people with dyspraxia denied access to sport New research from the Dyspraxia Foundation reveals that children and young people with dyspraxia are being denied access to sport and leisure activities because of poor awareness of the condition.
A recent study from the charity which helps more than 10,000 families a year supports previous research showing that young people are at risk of experiencing social and emotional difficulties and rising obesity levels as a result.
Children with developmental coordination disorder (including dyspraxia) are three times more likely to be overweight than their typically developing peers (1). They are less likely to participate in physical activities such as cycling, football and other sports clubs (2) as activity leaders don't provide the support and understand that they need. Yet participation in team sports and other leisure activities can help to reduce loneliness and social isolation (3).
Chair Sally Payne said “Our recent research has shown that families are facing many problems accessing sport, leisure and social activities. As a consequence young people become even more isolated increasing the risk of long-term problems with physical health and emotional wellbeing. Popular activities such as team sports like football prove impossible for many people with dyspraxia so the choice becomes very limited.
We want to see more recognition of the condition and more sports and leisure organisations opening their doors to children with disabilities so they can join in and have the benefits of an active lifestyle with more fun and friends. We hope to work with major sporting organisations to create more opportunities for everyone”.
This summer the charity held a conference, supported by the Solihull Partnership as part of their 'Together for Disabled Children' programme looking at leisure activities and barriers that might prevent teenagers with dyspraxia making the most of clubs, sport and social groups.
Developmental dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement. It is an immaturity in the way that the brain processes information, which results in messages not being properly or fully transmitted. Dyspraxia affects the planning of what to do and how to do it. It is associated with problems of perception, language and thought.
Dyspraxia is thought to affect up to six per cent of the population and up to two per cent severely. Males are three times more likely to be affected than females. Dyspraxia sometimes runs in families and there may be an overlap with other related conditions.
Other names for dyspraxia include Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), Perceptuo-Motor Dysfunction, and Motor Learning Difficulties. It used to be known as Minimal Brain Damage and Clumsy Child Syndrome.
Statistically, it is likely that there are two children in every class of 30 children with dyspraxia and there are many adults who are unaware that they have the condition.
Some related links:
Findings from a national consultation with young people living with dyspraxia
Dyspraxia Foundation survey highlights national support needed for teenagers in Awareness Week
Liam's story - Beyond Boundaries: Across the Andes
Classroom guidleines for seconday school teachers
