Unlocking learning for better mental health

For seven years I worked as a Marketing and Communications Manager for an independent school. The school specialised in educating pupils who were dyslexic or were struggling, for whatever reason, to engage with their learning. It was a marketing role that was unlike any other. Often, I was asked to meet with prospective families and take them on a tour of the school, get to know them and allow them to understand us. I enjoyed those moments, they offered me an opportunity to understand who my marketing was communicating with, to talk to real people rather than analyse data. 

 The tours were informal, and they were a great opportunity to get to know people and their stories. Often those stories were of struggle and heartache, parents who only wanted the best for their child but didn’t have the solution to their problems, and young people who were disenfranchised and lacking in confidence. There were times when parents’ emotions would bubble over as they talked to me about seeing their child wilt and return home from school having less confidence by the day. I’d meet young people who saw school as the enemy and education as a huge barrier they just couldn’t overcome. I could see the effect that was having on the mental health of that young person, and then the knock-on effect it had on the rest of the family. It came down to one reason – standard methods of learning just did not work for this young person; one size did not fit all.

I realised that having the opportunity to find a style of learning that works to an individual’s abilities could have a life changing effect on the lives of the young people I was meeting. Those fortunate to attend the school found that out. Being in an environment with teachers and resources that could help them find ways to overcome their barriers to learning was a game changer. I recall so many pupils who I met on those tours who within a few months of attending the school changed, they were happier, more confident, and more self-assured of who they were. I’d try to talk with the parents at school events to find out how they were coping - and the difference in them was noticeable. Their biggest worry was melting away, they had a happier and more mentally healthy child. 

That is why today I’m proud to be helping companies like Dekko Comics reach as many young people as possible to give them new ways to learn. The effects of that can be seen but never measured. Unlocking a person’s full potential is a powerful thing for mental health. Imagine if you worked every day in a job that you found difficult. Day after day trying your best to make headway, but progress was slow and soul destroying. Then imagine one day you are given means to overcome that challenge - imagine that feeling of relief! That is exactly how it is for young people who need help with their learning. A Dekko Comic is colourful and fun but it’s ability to help a young person learn goes beyond that. Dekko Comics help young people engage with their learning by turning large amounts of subject text into fun comic strips. This benefits not only their academic achievement, but their mental health too. It is not the cure-all, but it takes away a big impediment for a generation who face challenge and pressure in new and varied ways. 

That is part of our mission; to help young people engage with learning, to reach their potential and be more resilient.