A Go-Ahead operating company, Go South West, has launched a dyslexia toolkit to support colleagues who have been officially diagnosed with the condition.
Dyslexia is recognised as a learning difficulty which can affect skills such reading, spelling, and writing, often making it challenging for bus drivers with the condition to read bus timetables and to complete paperwork at the end of the shift.
The toolkit offers colleagues coloured overlays to help those who struggle with reading text on white paper, as well as an online to-do list and task management app that can be downloaded onto colleagues’ work phones.
There are also paper To-Do lists for those who find them preferable to electronic communications, the ability to record meetings if colleagues struggle with notetaking, and additional time for paperwork at the end of shifts.
About 10 per cent of the population is believed to have some form of dyslexia, varying from mild to severe. It usually runs in families and is a life-long condition .
The initiative is part of Go-Ahead’s ‘The Next Billion Journey’s’ business strategy which aims to promote diversity and inclusion.
Richard Stevens, Go South West, Managing Director said: “I welcome the new toolkit, it’s very useful for our colleagues. Sometimes it can be easy to overlook the struggles people with dyslexia face in their day to day.
“At Go-Ahead we want to ensure everyone is included and supported to do their jobs with ease.”
Joe Savage, Bus Driver, for Go South West said: “As someone who is diagnosed as dyslexic, and who understands the struggles it can entail, I was keen to get involved in this project. Simple adjustments can make a big difference to our workforce.”
