Full name: Olayide Odediran
Degree/Graduating Year: BA Business Administration & Law (1st Class Honours), Keele University, UK
Ed.M. International Education Policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA
Location: Nigeria
Current Role: Director and Certified Workplace Needs Assessor, Dyslexia Nigeria
Certified Cognitive Coach, Career & Performance Coach, Moonstone Coaches, Nigeria
Board Member, Project Soar, Morocco
Education & Social Impact Special Projects (online learning; provision of advisory services for the establishment of an impact fund for education and healthcare in Nigeria)
HOW DOES YOUR WORK CROSS IN EDUCATION?
I believe that faster, more sustainable progress has to be made with enabling human development, 'the process of enlarging... the real freedom ordinary people have to decide who to be, what to do, and how to live'. Powerful words by the Economist, Mahbub ul Haq, which capture what I truly seek to express in my person and my work. I know that education offers the platform to facilitate individual freedom not only through its ability to influence this at an individual level through learning, but also at the societal level through equity of opportunity, freedom of choice and access to opportunity. This is why working in education is important to me and is a service I am honoured to provide.
WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMMING DO YOU DO?
At Dyslexia Nigeria, I educate, empower and convene stakeholders in Nigeria to create an environment where dyslexics can thrive. I do this first as a Workplace Needs Assessor focused on dyslexia in adults and in the workplace, supporting organizations to develop dyslexia-friendly workplaces, and with individuals to identify and adopt coping strategies for optimal performance. I also deliver trainings on dyslexia and support Dyslexia Nigeria’s services for children and youth including screening, diagnostic assessments, awareness campaigns and the delivery of our flagship program in public schools – Every Child Reads. This program combines teacher training, universal screening and specialist 1-1 tuition for at-risk students. Dyslexia is one of the most common specific learning difficulties in classrooms worldwide, affecting up to 1 in 5 persons. Though it primarily affects literacy, it often affects non-literacy skills like organisation, concentration, expressing ideas in writing, following instructions, multitasking and taking notes.
As a coach, I work with individuals to incorporate effective strategies for improved executive functioning. I also support youth as they transition from education, to identify meaningful, fulfilling work that embodies their authenticity and harnesses their true potential, and to take positive steps to realize their goals.
As a Board Member at Project Soar Morocco, I support teen girls’ education and empowerment, which Project Soar does through programs that help girls understand their value, voice, body, rights and path.
Finally, the Special Projects I am involved in see me support the facilitation of online learning in Nigeria, as well as the establishment of an education and healthcare impact fund with one of Nigeria’s largest non-bank financial institutions.
WHY IS WORKING IN EDUCATION IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Through my work, I genuinely hope to improve the lives of others; to ignite their passion, help them visualize more for themselves and then provide sustainable avenues for them to take positive steps towards realizing their dreams. I hope to help people realize that they are enough because of who they are, not because of labels society places on them.
WHAT KIND OF THINGS CAN OTHERS DO TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT WHEN THEY DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME?
When others don’t have much time and want to make a meaningful impact, I think there are two things they can do. First, they can start with themselves. If we were all kinder, more considerate, more inquisitive, more accepting, more enabling, more inclusive and more loving, we would all live happier, more fulfilled lives. Creating an ‘impact’ is really magic that happens on an individual level; the sectors we have designed to focus on ‘creating impact’ are only trying to project a fraction of the impact that would happen in the world if we all generated more positivity. Beyond that, they can support organisations that work to facilitate sustainable development in ways that they find most convenient, be it time, advice, network or finance.
