Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I'm looking forward to the challenge of walking with a group of wonderful volunteers as we take on the 22 km section of the Thames Path Challenge from Hurst Park (near Hampton Court) to Runnymede on 14 September.

This is to support the work of 50 Million Voices, the charity which I founded, and specifically to help fund our growing global Practice Interview programme for people who stutter.

There's plenty more information about us and the Thames Path Walk on our website: https://www.50millionvoices.org .

Or alternatively, read on below as I explain how a donation, of whatever amount, can help someone who stutters to improve their interview skills, overcome discriminatory recruitment bias and gain meaningful, perhaps life-changing, employment.

For millions of people who stutter, employer bias and discrimination against stuttering voices means that job interviews often become impossibly high barriers.

Consequently, getting a job or a promotion remains a distant dream for too many men and women who stutter. Indeed, recent highly respected research* (see below) shows that for stutterers in the USA compared to non-stutterers, unemployment rates are higher, under-employment is more common and earnings are significantly lower - especially for women who stutter.

This is where 50 Million Voices comes in.

Our global Practice Interview events have already helped nearly 600 participants from over 30 countries and 5 continents to improve their interview skills, confidence and success. Demand for more events is high and we're trying to raise money to deliver them later this year and next.

Here's some feedback from 2 participants in our previous events:

"I wouldn't miss it for anything. My practice interviews have really helped me to be more confident and to stammer without regret. And my interviewers were amazing " – 50MV unemployed interviewee who landed a job a week after attending our event (and is still employed) - South Africa

“This was a big help. I felt more at ease, which enabled me to perform better and ultimately get the job” – 50MV interviewee - UK

For me this is a deeply personal cause. In my younger days, some of my most brutal stuttering experiences were in interviews. I still remember the humiliation, pain and anguish of some of them as if they were yesterday.

By sponsoring me you'll be helping more men and women who stutter to improve their interview skills, to pass their interviews and be offered a job - perhaps even the job of their dreams!

Thank you so much.

Iain

* Source: 'Stuttering and Labor market outcomes in the United States' - Gerlach, Totty,  Subramanian & Zebrowski, 2018

Formal stuff: Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to 50 Million Voices. So it's an efficient way to donate – saving time and reducing costs for our charity.