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Dr. Deborah Leveroy - 'Supporting Dyslexia in the Workplace' 0

Dr. Deborah Leveroy - Supporting Dyslexia in the Workplace

On Tuesday 28th September, Dyslexia Box's very own Deborah Leveroy led a webinar at the Diverse Live: Neurodiversity Digital Focus Day.

Deborah's webinar discussed:

Making reasonable workplace adjustments to accommodate those with dyslexia
Why every business needs to be ready to provide end-to-end disability support for neurodiverse colleagues
Benefits of assistive technology, disability awareness training, workplace strategy coaching and ongoing technical support, and how to get started

You can watch her entire webinar in the video above!

Take a look at some of our related articles:

Announcement of Research Project Collaboration

Dyslexia Box are delighted to announce that we will be collaborating with the Research Centre for Global Learning at Coventry University on the research project entitled ‘Disability, neurodiversity, and remote e-working: promoting the creation of an inclusive workplace - ‘Remote for All’ (R4All)’.

What is strategy coaching and how can it help my neurodiverse employee?

Jack has Asperger’s and recently underwent a workplace assessment with Access to Work. The assessor has recommended some workplace strategy coaching. What exactly is strategy coaching and how can it help my employee overcome their challenges.

What is Access to Work? Everything you need to know

Often referred to as the Governments best kept secret, Access to Work (AtW) is a government scheme which funds disability-related support and equipment to help people start or stay in work. Here you'll find out about the process of applying and what to do once you've received your award.

New Research Project Collaboration:

‘Disability, neurodiversity, and remote e-working: promoting the creation of an inclusive workplace - ‘Remote for All’ (R4All)’

Dyslexia Box are delighted to announce that we will be collaborating with the Research Centre for Global Learning at Coventry University on a research project looking at digital innovation and e-working for adults with disabilities and neurodiversities.

The project, entitled ‘Disability, neurodiversity, and remote e-working: promoting the creation of an inclusive workplace - ‘Remote for All’ (R4All)’, is led by Dr Christine Grant with Dr Maria Charalampous and Dr Carlo Tramontano from the School of Psychological, Social and Behavioural Sciences.

The research aims to explore and understand the challenges and opportunities of remote working for individuals with disabilities and neurodiversity. Dyslexia Box will be working with the research team to facilitate the recruitment and participation of participants to take part in the project, whilst also offering industry guidance and research support. The final outcome will be a curated toolkit that will support both individuals and organisations in becoming better prepared for remote working.

This project is possible through funding that has been awarded from the Digit Innovation grant, which supports innovative research projects that advance understanding of how digital technologies are transforming work. The grant comes from the Digital Future at Work Research Centre, and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

More information about this research project will be released in the coming weeks...so stay tuned!

Take a look at some of our related articles:

What is strategy coaching and how can it help my neurodiverse employee?

What is Access to Work? Everything you need to know

Dyslexia Box Launch YouTube Channel

Over the past few months we've held a number of webinars in partnership with our friends over at The Dyslexia Show. We were blown away by the sheer number of people attending and received a large number of requests for us to put them up online so those missed out to watch them.

What is strategy coaching and how can it help my neurodiverse employee? 0

The Problem

“My employee Jack is autistic and recently underwent a workplace assessment with Access to Work. The assessor has recommended some workplace strategy coaching. What exactly is strategy coaching and how can it help my employee overcome their challenges”.

The Employee Jack

Jack is a 35-year-old male welfare advisor working in an advisory centre. He works 9-5 and is desk based and customer-facing. He sees anything up to 20 customers a day for 20-minute appointments and upward of 75 people a week.

Jack’s role requires him to interview customers, write up notes, process agreements, verify documents and conduct internet research.

The Challenge

Jack reports that, when he is interviewing customers, they can become hostile and aggressive. His manager has noticed he has become withdrawn from his colleagues and appears short-tempered and anxious. Jack explains that he is sensitive to other people’s emotions and easily absorbs other people’s hostile energy. He admits that he finds it challenging to process other people’s emotions constructively; the emotions build up inside him and cause stress and anxiety, resulting in challenging behaviour.

On one occasion, this resulted in Jack hitting a door in the staff room, which led to disciplinary procedures. On questioning, he explains that he was diagnosed with Autism, but he has never had any support or adjustments put in place.

Find out about our Workplace Adjustment process

CLICK HERE

The Solution

Once Jack disclosed his Autism, his line manager helped him apply to Access to Work for a workplace needs assessment who recommended 4 x 2 hour Autism strategy coaching sessions to focus on handling stress and communication in the workplace.

Jack’s Strategy Coaching Sessions

Jack and his coach met four times, every two weeks, for two hours a time.

At the start of the coaching sessions, they discussed Jack’s expectations of coaching and his goals. Jack advised he would like to use the coaching to focus on increasing his awareness of stress and anxiety triggers and to learn to apply different strategies to counter stressful situations.

Over the course of the four sessions, they worked on applying ‘preventative’ strategies and ‘coping strategies’ for managing stress in the workplace.

The preventative strategies work to reduce the likelihood of becoming stressed/anxious, for example:

creating a colour-coded diary and implementing regular 10 min breaks every 40 mins of work, to create structure & prevent overload.
Introducing a timer/alarm to alert Jack when the customer interview was soon to come to an end.
Applying relaxation exercises using breath and body awareness exercises, to manage the physical symptoms of stress.
Making a multi-sensory workspace: filled with positive items that make Jack feel relaxed/comforted e.g.: picture of cat, quotes, relaxing smelling oil, stress ball.

Jack and the coach then looked at replacement strategies which work to replace unhelpful behaviour such as:

Creating an energy audit to help him become aware of his stress triggers
Devising a personalised anxiety level scale
Challenging negative thoughts through thought journaling

Towards the end of the block of sessions, Jack and the coach recapped the strategies, feedback on the effectiveness and the coach provided Jack sign posting for further support.

Book your strategy coaching sessions today

CLICK HERE

The Outcome - Success!

Jack reports to being more aware of his stress triggers, and feels equipped to independently apply strategies to both reduce and manage his stress and anxiety in the workplace. His manager comments that he is calmer, more engaged in his work and able to communicate more effectively with his colleagues and customers.

By Dr. Deborah Leveroy, Neurodiversity & Inclusion Lead, Dyslexia Box

Want to find out more about workplace strategy coaching?

CLICK HERE

Take a look at some of our related articles:

What is Access to Work? Everything you need to know

Dyslexia Box Launch YouTube Channel

Dyslexia Box Awarded Disability Confident Leader Status

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded Disability Confident Leader status by the Department for Work and Pensions.

As a Disability Confident Leader we are looking forward to helping other organisations along the journey to becoming Disability Confident.

What is Access to Work? Everything you need to know 0

Access to Work (AtW) is a government scheme which funds disability-related support and equipment to help people start or stay in work.

Who is eligible for Access to Work?

Image of People Applying for Access to Work

If you are disabled or have a long-term physical or mental health condition that impacts your ability to do your job and..
You are self employed, employed (including apprenticeship, work experience or an internship) or about to start or return to work and…
Aged 16 or over and…
Live in England, Scotland or Wales

How much is an Access to Work grant and what does it fund?

That depends on your individual case. The grant only covers the cost of support you need to stay in work or self-employment.

The grant can pay for things like:

changes to the equipment you use
special equipment such as text to speech software
fares to work if you can’t use public transport
a support worker or job coach to help you in your workplace (other examples include a strategy coach or BSL interpreter)
a mental health support service if you’re finding it difficult to work or absent from work due to a mental health condition
disability awareness training for your colleagues
someone to help you at a job interview

Will my employer have to pay for any support or equipment I am recommended?

Your employer might be asked to contribute towards the cost of your equipment and support, however this depends on the size of the company you work for, the type of support you need and how long you have been employed by the company.

For example, if you are a new employee in the first 6 weeks of work, then you can get up to 100% funding from AtW.

If you have been with the company for longer than 6 weeks (from the date of initial application), and you have been recommended special equipment and aids, then your employer may be asked to contribute, depending on the size of the company.

If you have been recommended strategy coaching or a support worker, then you can get up to 100% funding from AtW, regardless of how long you have been employed and how big the company is.

NB: If you are Self-Employed, you can get up to 100% funding from AtW

Are you interested in applying for Access to Work, but not sure where to start?

Follow these steps:

Alternatively, read through the below guide, for more in-depth guidance:

1. Apply for Access to Work

Call 0800 121 7479
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 7479
Or via the Access to Work website (google ‘Access to Work’ and it’s the first on the list after the ads)

You’ll need to give some information, such as:

how your condition affects you in the workplace and what help you think you need
what help (if any) you are currently getting
workplace address & contact
your unique tax reference number (if you’re self-employed)

2. Speak to an Access to Work Advisor

An Access to Work advisor will call you within 5 working days (can be longer due to Covid)
They will have a brief chat with you, to confirm your details
They may also call your employer (with your permission) to discuss how AtW can support you
They may refer you for an independent Workplace Needs assessment

3. Have a Workplace Needs Assessment

A WPN is an informal meeting between you and a WPN assessor
The assessment is carried out either at your place of work or via the telephone/via video conferencing call.
The assessor will ask you about your job and what it involves
They will ask you to describe the barriers and challenges you experience in the workplace

4. Confirm Access to Work Funding

After the assessment, the advisor with write a report which may include recommendations to reduce the barriers you are experiencing in the workplace.
The assessor sends the report to the AtW advisor to put together a funding case for AtW to consider.
If you get an offer of support, it could include a grant to cover part or the full cost of any equipment or support.
If it does, you and your employer will receive an Award Letter from AtW, telling you how much you’ll get and for how long the grant is valid.
You must sign and date the letter and send it back to AtW via post in order to confirm that you accept the grant (the grant will not be paid if you do not send this signed declaration back to AtW).

5. Order

Congratulations! You’re nearly there…
It’s now time for your employer to order and purchase any equipment or support approved in the award letter
Dyslexia Box can supply all equipment, coaching and training on request
You will receive claim forms to fill in and send back to AtW with the receipts
AtW will reimburse the employer the full/part cost of equipment and support, once AtW receive the claim forms

Article by Dr Deborah Leveroy, Neurodiversity & Inclusion Lead, Dyslexia Box

Want to find out more about Access to Work?

CLICK HERE

Take a look at some of our related articles:

What is strategy coaching and how can it help my neurodiverse employee?

Dyslexia Box Launch YouTube Channel

Dyslexia Box Awarded Disability Confident Leader Status

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded Disability Confident Leader status by the Department for Work and Pensions.

As a Disability Confident Leader we are looking forward to helping other organisations along the journey to becoming Disability Confident.

Assistive Tech Giveaway for Dyslexia Awareness Week 2020

To celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Week 2020, we're giving one lucky person the chance to win a Microsoft Surface Go and a copy of Dragon Professional Individual v15 worth £800!

For your chance to win simply repost our giveaway post on either Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Here's how to enter:

Be a follower or begin to follow Dyslexia Box on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn
Like the Giveaway post
Leave a comment tagging 3 of your friends or colleagues

Here's the links to our social channels:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dyslexia-box

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DyslexiaBox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dyslexiabox/

Competition Terms & Conditions below:

This competition is in no way endorsed or sponsored by the social media channels it is posted on.

No purchase necessary.

You must be 18 years or older to enter and living within the United Kingdom.

This competition is being run across multiple social media channels with only 1 winner being chosen from all entries across all channels.

The winner will be chosen at random from qualifying entries that meet the entrance criteria.

The competition will run from Tuesday 6^th October until 18:00 GMT Tuesday 13^th October 2020.

The organiser reserves the right to extend the competition period without prior notice.

The Solution is here. Speech Recognition for Mac.

After announcing the exciting news that there is new advanced speech recognition software for Mac, we have received so much positive feedback we thought you would like to see it in action.

On Thursday 8th October at 10:30 am we will be hosting a free webinar with Ed McCann from TalkType.

In this short webinar you will be able to see just how accurate TalkType Dictation is and why we feel it's one of the most exciting new assistive technology products we've seen for a long time.

Places on this webinar are limited so we recommend you sign up early to avoid disappointment.

As always with our webinars, if you can't make the date, you will be emailed a recording of the webinar to watch at a more convenient time. But you must register.