Throughout Europe there is a growing body of interest in the creation of a workforce with the skills required to face the social and environmental challenges of the 21st Century particularly in terms of basic literacy. The inclusion of those adults already in work or seeking employment and the requirements of employers must be matched to ensure that societies maximise the skills of the population and that individuals are empowered to reach their potential. Despite the growth of support systems in formal education systems, the sub-group of adults who have dyslexia with its persistent underlying difficulties are often excluded from employment opportunities; a fact recognised by government schemes to promote access to employment. In England, support groups have been created which aim to meet the needs of such adults with dyslexia. Although there is a body of research into self-help groups for a range of disabilities (Barnes and Mercer 2006), so far little has been written about adults with dyslexia. This study examined the nature of three such groups and considered the following research questions: • What sort of support groups are functioning for adults with dyslexia in the English workplace? • What sort of support is offered and how is this relevant to the needs of adults with dyslexia? • What lessons can be learned for stakeholders such as employers, education providers, policy makers and adults with dyslexia themselves in organising and providing support?

Data were collected about 3 different adult dyslexia groups in the region which represented diverse models of support. Group leaders or chair people were contacted as representatives of their organisations. The research tool was a semi-structured interview schedule. This format was used to seek information about setting up groups and of provision which matched the needs of adults with dyslexia along with any factual data about the nature of the groups which could be provided. Each interview was around half an hour and participants were invited to describe the experiences of starting a group, the nature of the support provided by the group and to identify their key issues and concerns. Transcripts were made of these interviews which were scrutinised and coded. The resulting findings were triangulated to identify common themes and comparisons made between the three groups to bring out the key emerging themes and factors.

This debate clearly has implications for policy makers and providers of adult dyslexia support. The structure offered by adult dyslexia groups which are not in receipt of direct government funding is likely to be different from that offered in traditional work-based training programmes or adult literacy classes. Lessons may be learned from listening to the voices of adults with dyslexia themselves and those who work directly with them, and who are not required to provide auditable evidence for public funding. The very lack of externally imposed structure makes these groups of particular interest for researchers. The discussion of findings will make suggestions about how these lessons can be used to create improved opportunities for this group, which includes many individuals who have not been able to maximise their potential in formal education settings, at school or beyond.