Freshers’ Week is coming up soon, so what do you need in order to prepare for starting university? It can be daunting preparing yourself for this new experience especially if you suffer from anxiety but trust us it will be a whole lot of fun and worth the ride! 

Estendio has recently been named as one of ‘Glasgow’s coolest tech startups’ by DIGIT and we’re thrilled to be listed amongst some of Scotland’s most exciting tech companies. We want to share all of our recent ventures and achievements with you in this blog (and a bit about why we also think that what we’re doing is pretty damn cool!)

Think of your workplace and your colleagues that surround you. Are there different gender identities, different ethnicities, different backgrounds, ages, nationalities? Do you have any colleagues who are neurodiverse? Are any of your colleagues disabled? If the answers to these questions are predominantly ‘no’, then you may be questioning your organisation’s culture of inclusion.

Present Pal has undergone a sparkling reformation, with version 2.2.5 now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store! Since launching in September, we’ve been busy bees collecting your feedback to ensure that we found any little glitches or potential improvements. This update features shiny new improvements such as bug fixes, new dyslexia-friendly fonts, and language changes.

Our 2019 calendar is jam-packed already and we’re excited to share how you can take part in our events and connect with Present Pal!

If you have any questions regarding how to book the events below, please use our ‘Contact Us’ form or email info@presentpal.co.uk All events are suitable for needs assessors, disability advisers and AT trainers in the DSA industry.

2018 has been Estendio’s best year yet - from launching an MVP product in January to announcing a partnership with Microsoft in December, we’re all incredibly proud of how much we’ve achieved. We want to give you all a little insight into what we’ve been up to these past 12 months and the hugely exciting plans we have for 2019. So pour yourself a wee glass of mulled wine and take a peek into our 2018 highlights!

To celebrate the UN’s International Day of Disabled Persons 2018, we’re excited to announce that we’ve been selected to be a part of Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility Programme!

Present Pal has been awarded an AI for Accessibility grant from Microsoft to help further our efforts in ensuring that everyone, despite their individual abilities, has the equal opportunity to communicate effectively in education and the workplace.

With freshers week events erupting across the UK, the Present Pal team set off to the University of Glasgow to find out more about students’ fresher fears…

Present Pal wants to raise awareness around the fact that a large chunk of the SpLD population are now in their adult years. This blog will discuss signs of dyslexia, workplace solutions for employers to implement and support for adults who think that they may have an SpLD.

At Present Pal, we have become increasingly aware that although public speaking fears are common for individuals with learning differences, they are also prevalent amongst people experiencing feelings of anxiety. Feelings of stress, nervousness and uneasiness are a reality for the majority of people, but there remains a lack of awareness around simple and free coping skills for anxiety. We spoke to Mindfulness Expert Kay Young, to discuss simple mindfulness exercises and activities which teach our brains to be ‘mindful’, rather than stressed and anxious.