A word from Alicia Wood, our new CEO...
It is my pleasure to announce that I will be taking on the role of Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Words from 1st April.
Beyond Words has always been close to my heart. Back in 1995 I worked as a psychotherapist with people with learning disabilities and mental ill health. My first experience with the power of Beyond Words books was with a client whose mother had sadly passed away. The woman seemed to have trouble understanding what had happened, constantly asking for her mum both during sessions and at home and dealing with a significant amount of distress.
I brought the Beyond Words book When Mum Died to our sessions. Slowly, she was able to understand that her mother had died. From her distress she was able to begin the essential process of grieving, in order to heal. I understood then the incredible importance of picture stories to help those who find images easier to interpret than text - what we call visual literacy.
These pictures and stories are vital to help the many of us who are visual learners to understand our own emotions and comprehend life events in what can be a bewildering world. As an autistic person who learns better through pictures, diagrams and stories, rather than written and spoken word, school was stressful to say the least - as I know it is for many children who are visual learners. Working in organisations and using health and social care services that predominantly use verbal and written communication can be confusing and overwhelming for autistic people and other visual learners, whether we have learning disabilities or not.
Beyond Words firmly believes that by using visual and emotional literacy, we have the potential to transform education and improve mental health in both adults and children. Our Feelings Groups with children in mainstream and special schools are not only improving communication about feelings but increasing their learning potential. Our book clubs with adults with learning disabilities are not only helping people to understand and communicate about complicated life situations, but are also helping people make friends and be more connected. Our refugee story has enabled refugees to talk about trauma and seek help.
Becoming the CEO of Beyond Words could not come at a more exciting time. We are on the cusp of change, moving from our previous work as a charitable book publisher to a charity focused on using visual and emotional literacy principles to enhance peoples' lives. In the coming months we will be expanding our successful book club and education programmes, bringing our unique methods to help communication and understanding to more and more adults and children across the country. If you are interested in joining us on our journey, do get in touch.
I'd like to thank my predecessor Nick Wright, who retires at the end of March, for his work with Beyond Words, we will miss him! I am also very much looking forward to working with our founder and chair, Sheila Hollins and our talented board of trustees and staff team.
Email: awood@booksbeyondwords.co.uk
Twitter : @AliciaWood___