Dear Dyslexic - Annual Gala Program

Resilience

the courage to fall and rise

DEAR DYSLEXIC ANNUAL GALA

FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER 2019

WELCOME

MC — John Black, Court Assessment & Prosecutions Officer with Corrections Victoria , Department of Justice Shae Wissell, Founder and CEO The Dear Dyslexic Foundation

AWARDS PRESENTATION

Parliamentary Secretary for Schools, Tim Richardson MP to award the following: Dr Nola Firth Outstanding Contribution to Dyslexia in Australia Award — Mandy Nayton OA, CEO of DFS Literacy and Clinical Services and President of AUSPELD

Leadership In The Community Award — Jemima Hutton, Dyslexia Demystified

Workplace Inclusion Leadership Award — EEON accepted by Roman Ruzbacky EEON President

HOW YOU CAN SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

SILENT AUCTION BIDDING

Place your best bid once and once only to secure your favourite items in the silent auction bidding brochure. Please refer to Silent Auction Bidding Brochure for auction items and bidding instructions.

MYSTERY WINE BOX

Buy 1 bottle for $30 or 2 bottles for $50

DONATION WELL

If you would like to simply donate, place your money in one of the designated Donation Well.

RAFFLE

Buy 1 ticket for $10 or 3 for $20

GUEST SPEAKER

JACKIE FRENCH

Jackie is an Australian author, historian, ecologist; 2014–15 Australian Children’ Laureate; and 2015 Senior Australian of the Year.

Many of Jackie’s books have sold millions of copies and won over 60 awards in Australia and internationally.

Jackie is also dyslexic and patron of literacy programmes across Australia with a wide and deep — if accidental — experience in learning differences and methods and their outcomes for students, as well as a passionate advocate for equal-opportunity education. Instead of hobbies she has: written over 200 books; built a house and power system; planted thousands of trees; eaten lunches with friends; read to her grandkids; tried to find her glasses and eaten dark chocolates and whatever fruit is in season.

ACCLAIMED AUTHOR, 2015 SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR

AWARD RECIPIENTS

MANDY NAYTON

JEMIMA HUTTON

DYSLEXIA DEMYSTIFIED

We are delighted to be presenting Mandy Nayton with the ‘Dr Nola Firth Outstanding Contribution to Dyslexia in Australia Award’ in recognition of her dedication to investigations strategies that improve literacy outcomes for those with dyslexia and her contribution to Australian dyslexia research.

Mandy Nayton is the CEO of DSF Literacy and Clinical Services and President of AUSPELD. She is an educational and developmental psychologist and qualified primary school teacher with extensive experience in the field of literacy education. She provides professional development in the areas of literacy acquisition, dyslexia and dysgraphia, vocabulary development, working memory, cognitive load theory, learning difficulties and the assessment of learning disorders.

At this year’s gala we will be recognising the amazing contribution of Jemima Hutton within our community, with the ‘Leadership in the Community Award’.

Jemima is a diagnosed dyslexic student who is currently studying Provisional Entry Medicine. She has been assessed as being in the lowest 2% for reading with her eyes, however, she received an ATAR of 99.3 for her secondary school studies including two perfect scores. Jemima was Dux of her school and also ironically received the English Prize for being the top student even though she only ever read the books with her ears, using assistive technology at 3 times normal speed.

After taking a gap year, Jemima started her own company called Dyslexia Demystified to support and empower young people with dyslexia. In addition, to build an online community of proud dyslexics, Jemima started a YouTube Channel, which she hopes will grow to be the largest online support platform for dyslexic young people.

OA, CEO OF DSF LITERACY AND CLINICAL SERVICES AND PRESIDENT OF AUSPELD

AWARD RECIPIENTS

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY NETWORK (EEON)

This year we will be presenting the Workplace Inclusion Leadership Award to the Employment Opportunity Network (EEON) for their outstanding contribution to promoting and advocating for inclusive workplace practices.

Roman Ruzbacky will be accepting the award on behalf of EEON. Roman is the President of EEON, a committee of people drawn together through personal connection and commitment to increasing the rate of progress towards equity, fairness, inclusion and opportunity within the workplace.

MAKE A REAL IMPACT

By attending our annual gala on Friday, October 18, your support is making a direct impact and contribution to the continued amazing work of the Dear Dyslexic Foundation.

The funds raised by our 2018 Inaugural Gala directly enabled us to develop more support than ever, including:

• the production of an additional 12 podcasts, with over 5,500 downloads internationally

• Facilitated three higher education training workshops for teachers, disability workers, tutors and parents

• Expert speaker at events in Melbourne, Gippsland and Brisbane

• Reached and connected with over 10,000 people internationally through our website

• Contributed to the redevelopment of our website

We empower young people and adults with learning disabilities to reach their full potential.

We do this by:

• Undertaking vital research

• Educating and training

• Providing assessment and support services

• Raising awareness

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation is the leading organisation in Australia for changing the world of dyslexics through storytelling.

Our story began in 2015 when founder Shae Wissell shared her story with the world. Shae wanted to disrupt what people think and understand about dyslexia: we study, we work, we succeed.

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation is creating a change! Young people and adults with learning disabilities like dyslexia, has for the first time been given a voice and a place to learn and be supported.

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation gives young people and adults a platform to share their lived experience of dyslexia and other learning disabilities. We want to revolutionise the way our communities see and talk about those with learning disabilities. We want young people and adults to not feel disconnected, disempowered or disengaged from their lives, but to feel like productive members of society.

Through storytelling, we are creating this change, a world of acceptance and empathy that empowers those with dyslexia and other learning disabilities to reach their full potential. Together, we can live healthier, happier more connected lives.

The Dear Dyslexic Foundation: changing the world through storytelling.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

Dear Dyslexic Community for donated wine • Artwork by Gary Wissell • Jackie French, Author

John Black, MC • Shakespeare in the Park • Maria Georgiou Massage

LJ Kidd Children’s Author and Illustrator • Paul Russell Children’s Author

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS