WDS - the Whole Dyslexic Society
Hi everyone!
If you've got some free time, whether it's today or in the future, please consider checking out the Whole Dyslexic Society - a Vancouver BC based NGO. It is facilated by a lovely woman named Sue Hall, who is a facilator of learning with a large background in helping young people (and adults!) who struggle with their dyslexia. Sue is dyslexic herself, and is strong in her belief that dyslexia is a gift rather than something to ashamed of.
Our Society addresses the cause, not the symptoms of dyslexia - the ‘whole’ picture, rather than part of it - and that’s what makes us uniqu
They're mission is to shed light on Dyslexia, how it effects individuals, and brings more nueroinclusivity to the educational system. Dyslexia is a gift and a tool, and can be utilized as a new way of thinking rather than a hinderance.
"Our Mission - To be an organization which offers a coordinated and central approach in addressing the needs of the dyslexic individual, their families and their community, while ensuring a safe place for accelerated learning, healing, education, social interaction and support of individual growth and development."
They've finally gone international and are working with students as far as New Zealand, and currently have an ongoing project in Kenya in the Kakamega County.
Make a donation today to support The Kakamega Project
They have a blog, a newsletter, and and a podcast called Fish Don't Climb Trees that updates regularly on several platforms (Spotify and Podbean included)!
Sue was also invited for a TedTalk, where she further discusses her own family's journey and the meaning of Cognitive Equal Opportunity.
Everyone is learning-able, however, different learners are often labelled learning-disabled, when nothing could be further from the truth! A
Please consider checking them out, maybe listening to a podcast or two, or even subscribing to their regular newsletter! Regardless of whether you are dyslexic or not, this is a tool for everyone to educate themselves on dyslexia and find some valuable resources.
On another note, if you want to contribute and show support, they do offer 'Gifted with Dyslexia' pins for people who would like to show pride in their neurodiversity. Links to pins and how to order them are at the top of their main website, and forms can be filled out there. To quote directly from the webpage, the goals of these pins are:
For those with the ‘gift of dyslexia’ to have a physical, global symbol of pride in our way of thinking and learning.
To ensure that these different learners know they are learning able, they just don’t learn the way they have been taught.
To increase the understanding of how these different minds work, and eventually for the education system to be able to reach them from day one, thus ensuring the challenges do not have a chance to arise.
To acknowledge the discovery made by Ronald D Davis, in his book The Gift of Dyslexia, and the subsequent programs which have changed the lives of thousands of learning able individuals.
To fundraise for our charity, The Whole Dyslexic Society.