How the Dyspraxia Foundation Adult Advisory Panel Works

The Purpose of this blog is to promote The Dyspraxia Foundation E book' "Dyspraxic Adults Surviving in a NonDyspraxic World" self help book for dyspraxic adults. All proceeds go to the Dyspraxia Foundation Adult support groups. Available on Amazon for £9.99

Hello everyone I haven’t done my blog for a bit. As I could hardly see what I was typing. I’ve had one cataract removed from my right eye and I can see a lot better now and will be able to see even more clearly when the other eye is done. Already I can get away with going out without my specks. But If I indulge in 80s handbag dancing, during a night out with friends, I could still trip over my clutch bag for different reasons than not seeing past my nose.

I digress in typical Dyspraxic style.  A member of the Facebook Group Dyspraxic Adults Surviving in a Non Dyspraxic World asked me to write a blog about how the Dyspraxia Foundation Adult Advisory Panel Works. The Facebook group was used to consult adults about the eBook with the same title and the book has now sold over 800 copies.

 So here goes:

This is how the DF Adult Advisory Panel Works.

The Dyspraxia Foundation Adult Advisory panel consists of 12 members are chosen by the Adult Advisor to sit on the panel. they devise information sheets  on dyspraxia, employment a Diagnosis Education and other Adult related subjects and update leaflets. I'm working on a bullying in the workplace leaflet. everything we do has to be submitted and approved by my DF Trustee colleagues before it is finalised  We also organise adult conferences with support from the DF Admin team.. We are hoping to have a quarterly e Newspaper for Adults.  The panel are mainly Dyspraxic adults who have experience in issues such as education, employment, psychology, welfare rights and neurodiversity. Peter Keegan the previous Adult Advisor had already set up a panel. I already knew the original panel members, as I used to be their Education and Research Advisor and helped set up adult support groups, so I had already worked with existing panel members. I’m not into power trips or making changes for just the sake of it. My first task was to find out which existing members wanted to stay on the panel.  The remaining panel members are Richard Todd (DF Trustee, Employment Advisor), Peter Keegan (Health & late Diagnosis), Maxine Francis Roper ( DF Trustee & Media and Publicity), Robert Hopkins (Welfare Rights). New Panel Members are Yvonne Lee (former be a DF Trustee and has experience in Social Welfare and the media), Mary Morris (co-editor of our Dyspraxia book who will be editing an adult E magazine), ilona Singer (Clinical Psychologist), Lisa McCarthy (Former Dyspraxia Foundation Helpline Advisor), Monique Craine (Neurodiversity Advisor). I am still waiting to hear if Jo Todd wants to be our Education Advisor.

 As we have panel members from all over the UK, in Manchester, Liverpool, Wrexham, London Cheltenham and South Wales. it would cost a fortune in travel expenses and be very time consuming to meet up face to face. I decided that we would have monthly meetings via Skype.

We had our First Skype meeting in early December. Since the DF lost Funding for the Adult Advice Helpline I have received about 80 emails. The main topic for advice was adult diagnosis. It is also a huge issue amongst adults on facebook groups and in Manchester. We diced that asking for a NHS  Adult Diagnostic Pathway  was our priority. There are not many places to refer adults to so this would mean that a pathway would be achieved via local GPs.

 Ilona Singer and Victoria Biggs worked on a letter to send to employers regarding a job descriptions and person specifications insisting that employees need a car or driving licence even though it is not necessary to be able to do the job. However the other Trustees have not approved it as they majority thought it was a campaigning letter which is against the DFs constitution rather than a fact sheet.  I will pass it onto the Coalition of Disabled People to be used for all disabled people who are discriminated against.

 This week Sally Payne a DF Trustee consulted the Panel about Movement Matters  new definition of Dyspraxia & DCD , we are hoping that there will be more focus on the other issues besides co-ordination that affects adults daily lives.

 Im going to the dyspraxia Foundation Conference In Doncaster Friday March the 3^rd and I am staying at the Premier Inn Lakeside Hotel on the Thursday night, so I hope to see you  at the conference.