Need to Know

In recent years, a heightened awareness of civil health and wellbeing has brought marginalised narratives to the fore. Issues surrounding a lack of diverse and inclusive practices have led to public frustration, particularly from those who don’t fit into conventional society. In response, Dyslexia Scotland has launched a campaign for Dyslexia Awareness Month to urge designers to change their perspective on Comic Sans and to embrace a more inclusive design process.

While the typeface is often dismissed in the design world, the new campaign highlights the benefits for people with dyslexia, showing how it makes text easier to read. With Comic Sans as the focus, the charity hopes to spark conversations centred around creating more inclusive design. The organisation hopes the campaign, entitled There’s Nothing Comic About Dyslexia, will show how beautiful design and being dyslexia-friendly don’t need to be mutually exclusive.

The campaign faces the realities of neurodivergence and how design can shape the way people with dyslexia interact with the world. This gives designers everywhere the chance to create significant social change; we’ve been tracking how some have already taken the lead to alter design to cater for those who live with neurodivergence.

In an effort to further close the health gap, retailers are finding ways to bring mental healthcare and support to our high streets. Earlier this year, British department store group Selfridges launched Superself, a wellbeing initiative designed to help clients rest and rejuvenate while shopping.

With a range of events, experiences and activations – both online and offline – the project offered customers a chance to merge their self-care routines with their shopping ones. Customers in-store could unwind in calming sensory pods designed by immersive reality company Sensiks, equipped with virtual reality headsets, soothing voice activation and climate control. The pods were designed to improve moods, reduce stress and benefit physical health. The store also partnered with London-based women’s charity The Stack World to offer customers breath work workshops, confidence coaching and sex therapy sessions. Offline, clients could listen to a new wellbeing podcast as well as shop for a range of mood-boosting vitamins and incense sticks.

Selfridges’ initiative has demonstrated how the definition of retail has expanded beyond commerce to be inclusive of other customer needs and desires.

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