Meet the people behind our passion: Emily

I’ve been working in the accessibility space for about 8 years now and feel incredibly lucky to have found a job I am passionate about and that helps people in our community. 

What is your role at the Information Access Group?

I’ve been working with the Information Access Group since 2017 on a variety of projects. In my role at the moment, I am responsible for reviewing the quality of the Easy Read documents we produce and training our staff to complete Easy Read translations. I also do plain language editing, training workshops, website projects and support our digital accessibility work.

Tell us about a project you’ve worked on that you are proud of

I’m really proud of the work we did for Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA). This includes the Easy Read websites, Our Site and Neve. WWDA is an incredible organisation supporting women, girls, feminine identifying and non-binary people with disability in Australia, and their efforts to make information accessible to as many people as possible is truly commendable. There aren’t many Easy Read websites out there, so it’s pretty incredible that WWDA has created 2 of them.

What do you find most rewarding about the work you do at the Information Access Group?

I’m really passionate about accessibility and love seeing our work support more people to access important information that helps them have a say, take part in their community and get the services they need. Accessibility is a very interesting space to work in and I feel like I never stop learning.

You joined the Information Access Group in its early years. How has the accessibility space changed since then?

I think more people know about accessibility now thanks to the Disability Royal Commission shining a spotlight on the need for accessible information and communications. But I think there is still a lot of confusion about what accessibility actually means and everything it encompasses. Generally, people want to do the right thing, but they just aren’t sure how. I think there is still a long way to go, especially with digital accessibility, but I’ve definitely noticed a positive shift in the right direction since I started working in this space.

How did you get into accessibility and user testing?

I think like most people in the accessibility space, I fell into it by accident and then quickly realised it’s where I wanted to stay. I’ve done various courses and training to learn as much as I can, which have inevitably included developing a solid understanding of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These are the set of internationally recognised guidelines and basically the accessibility bible. But I started to realise there are gaps even in these guidelines. You can make something that passes WCAG and is technically accessible, but isn’t very easy to use. A key example of this is the limited guidance for users with cognitive conditions, such as dyslexia or intellectual disability. WCAG lacks specifics on making content easier to understand. The irony is also that you almost need a degree in web development to understand the guidelines themselves.

This is where disciplines like content design and user experience work really well with accessibility to create a more user-focused approach to solving problems and meeting different needs. And that’s how I ventured more into these spaces as well and focused on building my skillsets there too.

You moved away from Perth, Western Australia, at 19 and have done a lot of travelling since then. Is there a place you’ve travelled that you think deserves more recognition?

Travel has been an incredibly important part of my life. I had a goal to see all the 7 wonders of the world (and the honorary eighth)

 and  achieved this back in 2017 at Petra in Jordan. During this trip, I also went to Israel and Palestine. It’s hitting the news a lot lately, but there have been patches of peace in the past where it’s been safe to travel. I met some beautiful people there – Israeli and Palestinian – but it was pretty humbling and saddening to see first-hand how the Palestinian people are being treated. I’d describe the region as an absolute melting pot of cultures, religion and history. It was fascinating and I do hope there is peace there again soon.

I also feel like I need to mention Colombia, which often has a bad stigma attached to it because of its history. I have visited a few times now with my Colombian partner and the country is absolutely stunning, the culture is so vibrant and the people are incredibly welcoming.

You've recently moved to Spain. Are there any differences you’ve found between Spanish and Australian cultures that have surprised you?

Not so much of a surprise, but more of a delightful reminder about how different cultures can be. The apartment living and lack of backyards forces people outside more to socialise and connect with their communities, which I absolutely love. Spaniards are definitely here to enjoy their lives and are the perfect depiction of a ‘work to live, not live to work’ culture.

This quote sums them up perfectly: 'Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life'. – Dolly Parton.

Spaniards have not forgotten!

It’s no secret that your first child is your beloved Rottweiler, Sadie. Can you tell us a bit about her?

Sadie is the best dog there ever was. I think all dogs are but obviously I’m a bit biased with her! She is the sweetest girl that proves all  stereotypes about her breed wrong. I’ve never met an aggressive Rottie – they are the most lovable, goofy and loyal dogs. They might look scary to some people, but Sadie is a princess who is scared of the wind, can’t go through a door unless it’s completely open, won’t go into a room unless we turn the light on and just wants to be wrapped up in her blankie on the couch.

Despite being a total sook, she is an absolute champion that has taken a move across the world from Australia to Spain in her stride. It’s beautiful when you realise that you are home to your dogs. They are just happy wherever you are.

Do you have any hobbies that might surprise people?

Yes, I’m obsessed with CrossFit which seems to surprise people! But I absolutely love the community surrounding the sport and the  physical and mental challenges it offers. I only got into it a couple of years ago and fell in love. I wish I’d gotten into it sooner. I’ve done a couple competitions now, which have been a lot of fun.