Each member of our team is passionate about the role we play in making a positive impact
in the community. Learn more about the people behind the passion and what makes them
proud to be part of the work we do.
Introducing Vassie
Hi, my name is Vassie. I have lived experience in the mental health, disability, chronic illness and genetics spaces. I find it hard because I have invisible limitations. I may look ‘normal’, but it takes a lot of work for me to function in the adult world. People don’t understand my needs and have expectations of me that I get exhausted trying to meet. However, if you’re in a wheelchair, people recognise you as someone with disability. This can be challenging for my sense of identity.
What is your role at the Information Access Group?
I am an Easy Read document tester for the Information Access Group. This means I do a type of quality control on the content. I make sure that the text is easy to read and that the pictures match the text and are easy to understand. I love the flexibility that this type of work gives me. My favourite projects I’ve worked on are for the Disability Royal Commission, because it had an impact on so many people, and also covid information, because it was information that really makes a difference in helping people to stay safe.
Why do you think Easy Read documents are important?
I think Easy Read is useful and important because it impacts many types of communities. It helps people with low literacy, who struggle to read and write. This could be because English isn’t their first language, or they have an intellectual disability, learning challenges or less opportunities for education. It means more people can understand complex information if it’s in a format that’s easy to understand.
How has your role helped you develop personally?
I have quite a diverse group of friends. Some are vision impaired, need higher physical disability support, have low literacy levels or come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. So, I always had that lens of accessibility, but the Information Access Group has supported me to strengthen that lens.
About our document testers
Vassie and our other in-house document testers can provide thoughtful and considered feedback for your Easy Read content. This is an ideal option for clients whose timeframe doesn’t allow for a full focus group session, but who still want valuable insight from one of the core intended audiences for Easy Read content.
