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BDA Launches Northern Ireland Helpline
If you want to know more information about the work of the BDA in Northern Ireland please contact the Northern Ireland Helpline on 02890 769211 or
Email: nihelpline@bdadyslexia.org.uk.
The EQUIPPED Project
The Project Vision
A three year strategic grant made available in 2003, by the Community Fund allowed the BDA to appoint a Regional Development Officer in Northern Ireland. This enabled us to start six new voluntary Support Groups and to offer vital support to two groups that already existed.
These groups have potential if capacity can be built through training, to form a community based information and advice network meeting the needs generated by dyslexia, a high incidence learning disability that affects at least 10% of the Northern Ireland population and is hidden and complex. Dyslexia is listed as a disability in the Disability Discrimination Act (1995).
Our work has identified that significant work needs to be done to bring standards of service through access to information up to levels available in England. The project will:
• Offer intensive training to volunteers who run the Support Groups and Local Associations, in so doing develop an effective province wide information network
• Meet the defined needs of families and dyslexic adults through offering our expertise in providing information and advice and growing competence in others and quality in service provision
The capacity building of the local network will:
• Increase significantly community access to impartial information, advice and guidance concerning dyslexia
• Offer training and expertise to enable a quality driven network of support to form that helps communities to access entitlement.
There will be specific strand to support dyslexic adults. This will:
• Substantially grow support for dyslexic adults living in Northern Ireland
• Develop specialised information services (in accessible formats) that address adult’s identified needs in accessing and staying in employment; further education & training, family and community life.
The EQUIPPED project will also identify key partner voluntary community / sector organisations that offer more generalised services but come into contact with families and adults affected by dyslexia. These partners will be key in sign-posting end users to the EQUIPPED Project. The EQUIPPED Project will:
• Up-skill other voluntary / community sector organisations concerned about this issue
• Build the capacity of those voluntary / community sector agencies that seek to support dyslexic adults
Consultation and evaluation will be key to ensure the EQUIPPED Project:
(a) Provides local Northern Ireland relevant information and materials
(b) Involves users in ownership and running of the Project
The EQUIPPED Project will also promote Quality Initiatives through:
(a) Intensively supporting at least one Local Association to achieve the BDA Quality Mark for Helpline services
(b) Ensuring that information is available in dyslexia friendly formats
(c) Creating an up-to-date database of current provision
(d) Developing leadership in others to ensure consistency across the information and advice network
Indeed we have already started to turn some of this vision into reality by working with key partners in Northern Ireland these have included the Children’s Commissioner, NICVA ( Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action), and the Children’s Law Centre.
During the next year we intend to increase the profile of the BDA in the region, gain representation on local bodies that will assist in promoting the work of the BDA, and publish our Northern Ireland specific information. This is an exciting time for the BDA in Northern Ireland and the opportunity created by this grant from the community fund will make a huge difference to those living with dyslexia in region.
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Page updated 28 February 2008
