AN inspirational Barnsley teenager is hoping to change the future for neurodivergent children across the country - and she’s asking locals to help by signing her petition.
Alexandria Crystal, 16, from Worsbrough Village, made history in 2023 after being named as the youngest ever contestant to qualify for the Miss England event when she was just 15 years old.
As part of the competition, Alex began to raise awareness about dyslexia - a condition she suffers with.
She managed to secure interviews with some of the country’s biggest names, including former MP and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here star Matt Hancock.
The teenager was eventually named as the British Dyslexia Association’s ‘Outstanding Young Person of the Year’ at an award show at the back end of last year - but her work hasn’t stopped just yet.
She has created an online petition calling for more funding to be put towards teacher training relating to neurodivergent conditions.
Her mum Vicky told the Chronicle: “Essentially the petition would see fully-funded compulsory teacher training in all neurodiversities, as well as screening for all primary and secondary students.
“It won’t just include dyslexia but also autism, ADHD and dyspraxia.
“This could result in huge improvements around the way teachers understand neurodiverse conditions as at present there is no requirement for them to be trained and most receive less than one hour of training in their entire career to understand and support all types of neurodiversity.
“It would also help families significantly if they didn’t have to fight to get assessments for their children.
“The screening would screen all students regardless of ability and give an indication of those who might need extra support and the type of support as well as those who might benefit from a full assessment for their learning needs.
“The idea is to pick up on potential issues before students slip behind or before it becomes obvious that there is an issue.
“This would allow early intervention and the correct support to be put in place potentially before any signs of difficulty were showing.”
Despite what has been an incredibly busy year for Alexandria - she’s still hoping to support those who have a similar condition to herself.
And her mum believes the petition could reform the entire country if it was passed - though it needs 10,000 signatures for the government to respond to it.
Vicky added: “In the long term this could have a massive impact on society as the current prison population is made up of around 57 per cent dyslexics.
“Given that poor literacy and difficulty with concentration often lead to suspensions and exclusions from school, being able to support students by being better trained and having screening results will be beneficial for teachers and schools.
“For students it could lead to improved long term prospects.
“It's been a very busy 12 months for Alex and it’s not relenting yet.”
To sign the petition, follow the link on the Barnsley Chronicle website.
