The Dyslexia-SpLD Trust and Cornwall Council’s Dyslexia Service are launching two new initiatives to offer support to families and young people who have dyslexia.

Cornwall Dyslexia Service is launching a "Parent Champion" initiative with parents, young people and teachers from across Cornwall invited to attend one of two sessions led by Mel Byrne, director of The Dyslexia- SpLD Trust.

There will be an opportunity to find out how parents can sign up to become a Parent Champion firstly, for their own child, but also in a wider context to create a network of support and access to information. It is an opportunity for parents and carers to find out how to support their children, to access information, advice and resources and to be part of a wider network with other parents, locally and on a national scale.

At the event, Cornwall Dyslexia Service is also launching a booklet, Understanding Dyslexia, aimed at parents and students with dyslexia who are in secondary education.

The book has been produced by a group of students, parents and teachers from secondary schools in Cornwall, who embarked on their own project to write their version of the Understanding Dyslexia booklet aimed specifically at young people and parents of secondary aged students in Cornwall.

Students from Treviglas Community College in Newquay, Sir James Smith’s Community College in Camelford and Penair School in Truro shared their own ideas on how to deal with their dyslexia in a positive way; providing strategies for home and at school and for the students themselves to use.

The key message is to help young people to strive for independence with their learning, as well as have the ambitions and aspirations for success at school and in their future lives.

Cornwall Council cabinet member for children and young people Andrew Wallis said: “The young people and their families who will use this new book will have the benefit of knowing that those who have contributed to it have first hand experience of dyslexia and the challenges that can be overcome. Both these initiatives are directly involving those who know from a personal point of view what support is required and I congratulate them for their willingness to share their experience to help others.” 

The booklets and the videos that are linked in to the project will be available for use in schools throughout Cornwall. The Dyslexia- SpLD Trust is also taking 1,500 back with them to use after the event.