Our Facilitators

Chris Cole -

Chris is the co-founder of Dyslexia Support South, Growing Stars and the Southland Adult Dyslexia Support Group. She is also the Learning Differences Advisor for Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust.

Chris is dyslexic and has dyslexic children. She has been facilitating the children’s workshop for four years. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on living with learning differences as a parent to the workshops.

• SPELD Certificate in Specific Learning Disabilities L5
• National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy L5
• A Bachelor of Commerce
• Trained Life Coach and has her own business Unique Minds,
• An experienced workshop presenter
• Executive Functions Coach.

Sue McAnelly -

Sue has been facilitating the Growing Stars workshops for four years. She is dyslexic and has children and grandchildren with dyslexia and physical disabilities. She brings a wealth of knowledge, understanding and experience on living with disabilities and learning differences, both as a parent and as a qualified Teacher Aide to the workshops. Sue worked for seven years in a local school supporting and helping students’ learning, both individually and in small groups. For the past 13 years she has worked as a Family/Whanau worker, supporting families and since 2015 facilitating Family Dispute Resolutions (FDR) Mediations. During the Growing Stars workshops she loves seeing the moment the children get it that they are stars in their own right, that it’s ok to think and learn differently, and that there are others just like them. She feels strongly that the workshop gives both the child and the parents hope.

• Certificate of Educational Support – Disability Studies (Dunedin College of Education)
• Diploma CPS (Child Protection Studies)
• Member of ANZASW (Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers)
• Accredited Family Dispute Resolutions (FDR) Mediator
• Member of Resolution Institute
• Circle of Security Parenting Programme Educator and Faciliator
• First Aid Certificate