As the fourth Dyslexia Awareness Week gets underway, SRUC students and staff across the country are marking their support by tying the dyslexia symbol of blue ribbons round tractors on SRUC campuses.
SRUC hopes that Dyslexia Awareness Week will further improve understanding of dyslexia and how it affects individuals, including students and staff in different ways. Wearing the blue ribbon for Dyslexia Awareness was the brainchild of Edinburgh teenager Ellie Gordon-Woolgar in 2012. Her awareness raising campaign has since grown from a personal project to a national campaign now managed by Dyslexia Scotland.
As many as 1 in 10 people in the UK have dyslexic difficulties and this may be higher among rural farming communities. SRUC have large numbers of students with dyslexia across our six campuses.
SRUC student Kirstie Baird, studying for a Degree in Agriculture at SRUC’s Ayr campus is a Young Ambassador for dyslexia awareness especially within Scotland’s farming community. Lanark young farmer Kirstie was only recognised as having dyslexia when she started college and has received help to study and gain a higher qualification she might otherwise have found impossible.
Kirstie said: “I want to encourage other young people who have dyslexia to speak out and address the stigma that can be attached to dyslexia. I am proud to be involved in the NFU Scotland led Farming with Dyslexia Campaign, and I have recently filmed a video with the Scottish Government on this topic. I am proud to give young people a voice on this topic.
“If we have any hope of helping future farmers and ridding the industry of the stigma attached to dyslexia, we need to act now and get support.
“SRUC have been very supportive and have enabled me to continue my studies and to understand more on dyslexia. I would encourage any one struggling with their studies and wondering about dyslexia to just come forward and ask.”
Jo Aitken, SRUC’s Learning Support & Core Skills Manager said:
“SRUC is committed to developing and maintaining an inclusive learning environment where no learner is stigmatised. There are several measures in place to support our students to create a happy, trusting and successful learning experience. Support measures include allowing extra time for class work and assignments, providing scribes and assistance for note taking, allowing students to record lectures, and the provision of electronic notes by lecturers prior to classes.
“Alongside our partnership with NFUS and the Scottish Government to support those in the farming industry with dyslexia, SRUC is also involved in a research project with Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of the West of Scotland and Huddersfield University into the influence of dyslexia on farming enterprise and learning. Dyslexia is a complex issue and SRUC is committed to improve understanding of it.”
SRUC is working with NFU Scotland and the Scottish Government to raise awareness of dyslexia, and to put in place real solutions and support to those farming with dyslexia. SRUC is part of a NFU Scotland led working group and supporter of the Farming with Dyslexia Campaign.
Clare Slipper, of NFU Scotland’s Farming with Dyslexia campaign said: “The Farming With Dyslexia campaign has had unprecedented success in mobilising communities of students and young farmers who have an interest in this topic. We are delighted with the support that the campaign continues to gather.
“Ultimately we want to empower new generations of young farmers not to think of their dyslexia as a barrier, but an asset to a highly successful career in agriculture. With the help of young campaign ambassadors we can start a discussion about the tools and strategies which can be of assistance for those with dyslexia, for the betterment of everybody working in Scottish agriculture.”
Fiona Dickinson, Chair of Council, Dyslexia Scotland said: “Dyslexia Scotland has welcomed the opportunity to work with NFUS and other stakeholders on this crucially important Farming with Dyslexia campaign. I have seen first hand the positive impact this campaign is making to farmers since its launch over a year ago – for example at the Royal Highland Show in June, several farmers came to seek advice on practical strategies to improve their day to day life.
“Dyslexia Scotland has been able to advise NFUS and others involved in the campaign on best practice in communications and to signpost individual farmers to our information and services including the Helpline, local branch support and networks. During Dyslexia Awareness Week, we hope many more farmers will get in touch to try and make sense of their dyslexia.”
SRUC offers a range of courses and levels of study across the land based sector. For more information see https://www.sruc.ac.uk/education.
Photograph: SRUC Barony,Dumfries and Galloway staff and students supporting Dyslexia Awareness Week.
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