'My donated Brummie accent gives me confidence'
Christian Wilson, a man with verbal dyspraxia, has gained new confidence after using voice-synthesis technology to adopt a Birmingham accent. The technology allows him to communicate in a way that feels authentic to his identity while he works as a SEND Peer Advocate.
Why it matters
This highlights the transformative power of assistive technology in improving the quality of life and professional agency for individuals with speech disorders.
Image caption, Christian Wilson, pictured alongside presenter Tammy Gooding, said his new Birmingham dialect had given him "the confidence to voice [his] opinion"
A man who appealed for help to no longer sound like a "character from Star Wars" says he has found his calling.
Christian Wilson, from Bromsgrove, has verbal dyspraxia - a difficulty in placing muscles in the correct position to produce speech. He uses text-to-speech software in order to communicate, but said he wanted to sound "like a man from Birmingham".
The 24-year-old's dream was made possible in 2024 when he selected two voice donors that blended a Birmingham accent and a Warwickshire accent, which he hoped would help him sound more like his father.
Since May, Wilson has worked at Worcestershire County Council as a SEND Peer Advocate. He said his new dialect had given him "the confidence to voice [his] opinion".
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