Workshop overview

Audience: job seekers who identify with dyslexia or reading barriers. Group size: ________ Facilitator: ________ Date and location: ________

Goals for participants:

1. Name three work strengths.
2. Try two free assistive tools.
3. Practise asking for accommodation.
4. Leave with a personal action plan.

Before the session

• Book a quiet room with good lighting.
• Print materials in a sans serif font at 14 point.
• Prepare audio versions of handouts.
• Test phones or laptops with text-to-speech.
• Never ask anyone to read aloud.

Session plan

Activity 1: Strengths mapping

Ask pairs to share a time they solved a problem at work or home. The partner names the strengths they hear. Each person writes or draws their top three.

My strengths:

Activity 2: Tools lab

Show participants how to:

• Turn on text-to-speech on their phone.
• Use voice typing to write an email.
• Use a grammar and spelling checker.
• Change font size and background colour on a screen.

Activity 3: Your rights at work

Key points to share:

• Employers have a duty to accommodate disability-related needs.
• You do not need to share a diagnosis. Focus on what helps.
• Accommodation must be reasonable. You may not get your first choice.
• You share responsibility. Tell the employer what you need.

General information, not legal advice.

Activity 4: Role play

Person A plays the job seeker. Person B plays the hiring manager. Then switch.

Script:

"I work best when I get instructions in writing and verbally. I also use text-to-speech for long documents. With those tools, I do this job well."

Debrief questions:

• How did it feel to ask?
• What would you change?

Close: Personal action plan

My next three steps:

Tool I will use this week: ________ Support person: ________

Facilitator follow-up

• Send a short audio recap within two days.
• Offer one-to-one follow-up.
• Collect verbal feedback.