BDA Mentoring Scheme

The BDA’s mentoring scheme, in conjunction with Cass Business School, City University London, and Dyslexia Scotland, will link adults with dyslexia with successful dyslexic people who will share the benefit of their experience and knowledge.

The programme is an informal mentoring scheme, which is designed to be flexible. The emphasis is on two people getting together who share something in common - dyslexia. The aim is for the mentor to share some of their coping strategies and above all instill confidence in the mentee. The scheme is based on the reality that too often the positive attributes of being dyslexic are forgotten and not even recognised by the individual themselves. The scheme is about celebrating the positive side of dyslexia and who better to do this then someone who has travelled the same road and who can act as a role model.

We already have a number of high profile mentors, including Sir Jackie Stewart, former F1 World Champion, David Richards, CEO of Aston Martin, Jonty Hearnden, TV Antiques expert, and Zenna Atkins, Chair of Ofsted.

Cass Business School has carried out several pieces of research into the link between dyslexic people and entrepreneurs. They have also undertaken a piece of research for Microsoft called ‘Unlocking the potential of the UK’s Hidden Innovators’. This research discovered that dyslexic people make up almost 20% of the 3.5 million entrepreneurial population in the U.K., with the U.S. figure being even higher at 35% (J. Logan 2008).

The BDA and Dyslexia Scotland believe if dyslexic people in the UK were provided with mentoring to increase their confidence, there could be an increase in the number of dyslexic people unlocking their potential and creating new ventures. If US rates were matched a further 560,000 UK entrepreneurs would exist (J. Logan, C. Hendry, N. Courtney, J. Brown, 2008).

The BDA and Dyslexia Scotland believe that one of the key ways we can help people who are dyslexic is to provide role models who have excelled. This will demonstrate that being dyslexic does not have to be a barrier, an important message for the people involved in the programme as well as the world at large.

You can apply to become involved in the scheme and read testimonials from current Mentees in the toolbar on the left.