I thought it would be a great time to share what has happened in my dyslexic world and business Another Way Round this year… it’s been a busy and exciting one, which has led to some exciting new connections, me building my knowledge and strengthening the service I can provide to people.
In January Natalie from @adult dyslexia asked me to host a masterclass for her in her community all about unravelling and unpicking dyslexia reports so people were able to get the best from them. It was nerve wracking but brilliant and Natalie gave me the confidence to then host the same Online Masterclass to my own community in February which was a huge success and has led to me hosting more masterclasses throughout the year and planning lots for 2024!
In March I headed to the dyslexia show which was incredible on so many levels, new connections made, and just an all-round brilliant experience to be surrounded by so many likeminded people, to discover new resources, apps and programmes that can help support dyslexia was so empowering and being able to share with my community afterwards even better!
April and May and June went in a flash as I continued providing assessment and parent support whilst being a busy parent myself. Once child managed to be in 3 productions as another took GCSES, and the other BTECH exams. I started to be braver on social media and share some of the strategies and ways they manage their dyslexia. My personal highlights of this time was being interviewed only matt head for the Dyslexia Life Hacks Podcast and starting to work with UKSA to help them make a more dyslexia friendly environment.
July was a funny old month. A parent milestone, my son head to Australia for his gap year! A huge achievement in so many ways. I reflected to all those times I had worried about him academically and how we had navigated education and his dyslexia together, but how he is so at peace with it and how he just accepts his weaknesses and massively defines himself with his strengths. I also started working with JamWorks and supporting them in their work to help more people aware of University DSA funding and support.
In august I made a decision to learn to confidently deliver online dyslexia assessment remotely. With many people following me on social media I was finding I wanted to help and empower more people and this was somewhere I could start I launched these at the end of September! October had my dyslexia awareness week project where we viewed dyslexia from different angles and perspectives. October completely unplanned decided over a bowl of cereal that I would create a weekly podcast! @dyslexic life with Jo rees. A way to share how dyslexia shows up in my life personally, as a parent and what I am up to professionally… how it all interacts and help to normalise dyslexic errors and reality of living a life balancing dyslexia.
November saw new collaborations and many companies reach out to me to work with them to help raise awareness of their products. An area if imp honest I wasn’t wholly comfortable with initially, but actually is increasingly becoming a central part of what I do. People regularly emailing me as a Dyslexia Influencer. Imposter syndrome kicked in for sure. But actually when I started my Another Way Round Journey in January 2016 it was with a view to ensure that people didn’t struggle with dyslexia the way I had To make sure people were identified, knew what strategies a resources to use and to show people that dyslexia really doesn’t need to be a barrier that stops you… you just need to find a way round it!
December saw a celebration of my year really with the Advent and Christmas countdown, letting you know a bit more about my company, Dyslexia and the people who I have worked with and inspire me…
I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of AWR 2023, whether you liked a post, read an email, listened to the podcast, sent me an email, booked an assessment, had a call with me, referred me to friend or just came along for the ride.
Thankyou so so so much.
Happy new year… and don’t forget to always look on the dyslexic side of life! It’s actually a brilliant place to be!