When is a conference not just a conference.

The Dyspraxia Foundation conference and 30th anniversary celebration.

I have been to and spoken at many conferences over the years but I can honestly say that the Dyspraxia Conference I attended on Sat June 23rd 2018 is the best yet!

Of course for someone who has worked closely with this Charity for many years people may feel that I am biased and perhaps I am but that is only because I know that this charity really is what it says on the box. No frills or excessive spending, just a devoted and passionate group of people who are determined to make Dyspraxia/DCD something that is recognised by everybody for the good of everybody. There is of course always that lovely 'returning to friends' feeling and a chance to catch up with people who I only see once a year as well as to meet people who i have 'met' only on social media and to form new friendships which have dyspraxia at their heart.

In national  charity terms the Dyspraxia Foundation is small in that it has very few paid staff members (who work extremely hard and at times almost buckle under the weight of demand for their services). Other than this handful of wonderful cohesive people it is kept afloat by a merry band of wonderful volunteers in all manner of roles, who wave the flag and help countless people come to terms with their challenges. 

Saturday was a celebration of the 30th anniversary of this Charity which has survived against the odds in an extremely challenging climate for charities. It is determined to continue to champion the very people that it represents.

Amongst the trustees there are three people with the condition, and I think it is testament to its beliefs that people with the lived experience help to shape the organisation and drive it forward. All the Trustees have an emotional investment in the condition and are driven by that passion that exists when one witnesses the difficulties faced by a loved one with the condition when it is poorly understood and responded to. These are people with fire in their bellies who really ache for positive change around this poorly understood condition that affects some 6% of the population. They work extremely hard, in their own time for no financial gain.

On Saturday the Charity Trustees and staff were joined by over 150 delegates for a day of learning, exploring, celebration  and  restoration.
Dyspraxia is a complex hidden disability that greatly influences living and learning skills and also bears an emotional impact often manifested in anxiety and/or depression. The keynote speaker was Dave Smithson from Anxiety Uk and the immediate and impassioned involvement of his audience underlined what an important issue this is for those that live with the condition. 

The day was cleverly and appropriately split so that there were seperate sessions running for families and professionals, youth members and adults, allowing the exploration of issues that were important to each stage of life and enabling people to get the most out of the day for them as individuals.

The Charity is rightly proud of its youth membership. A group of now 400 + individuals who discuss, share and support via a monitored facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/DyspraxiaFoundationYouth/   These young people come together at these conferences in an utter celebration of the friendships formed and solidarity shared. It is a joy to witness and they have a huge amount of positive energy and creative ideas that will also help to shape the charity as it moves forward.

The day was hosted at and by Norton Rose in London who generously sponsor these events and ensure that every person is looked after, well fed and comfortable.

The day covered topics including  the Importance of Teaching Resilience, Pathways to diagnosis,  Anxiety, Opening doors to Employment, Disclosure, Neurodiversity as the catalyst to Creativity and was drawn to a close by a positive look at the Joys of Dyspraxia by yours truly.

This small but perfectly formed Charity is  wholly dependent on voluntary contributions and membership fees to continue its services. It is currently surviving but not thriving because the resources are simply not there to employ more  much needed staff, increase the helpline opening hours, offer training and more conferences, publish information and develop services. That friends is really  down to you, the ones who have been interested enough to read this but are yet to take out membership (which is as cheap as chips).  Imagine how much more the charity could achieve if every facebook supporter (there are over 40,000 of you) became a member. You don't need a diagnosis to join our family but we are dependent on each and every one of you for  survival. Don't delay, join today by clicking this link...  https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/members/join-foundation/


A few comments from the day

'A wonderful day that I felt proud and privileged to be apart of'.

'Supportive, inspiring and restorative'

'I feel informed and energised and able to really strive for my sons support needs'

'Wow , what a brilliant day!'

'...inclusive non pressurising, allowing people to take their time and giving people the option to opt out and that people wouldn’t think less of you no matter what and those words meant so much to me'.

'If anyone has any spare change, please consider donating to the Dyspraxia Foundation so they can continue to support families and raise awareness of the condition that not everyone has heard of.'

If you didn't make it to this conference you missed a treat. As a parent or professional you would have learned so much, as a youngster you would have made new friends and as an adult felt a validation of the important person that you are.These days bring people together with an awareness of differences and difficulties and with a huge pair of invisible arms that gentle hug the people within. Everyone feels able to be themselves, free from the constraints of social norms and expectations. A true celebration of who they are and what they do. If you haven't attended a Dyspraxia Foundation Conference, put it on your bucket list, you will be SO pleased that you did.

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