Easy Read Tool Box
Karen Hedley is the founder of Easy Read Tool Box and a Mill House GRIST graduate. Easy Read Tool Box is among recipients of grant funding awarded by the ACT Government and the Canberra Innovation Network.
This has enabled Karen to move forward with developing the resource to increase use of easy to understand, accessible communication for people with disabilities and low literacy.
I launched my first social enterprise, Next Level Inclusion in 2021: a communication and accessibility service for disability service providers. The demand was so great I recognised the need to create an online toolbox to provide greater access to communication resources and support.
The toolbox will be an online subscription-based resource that anyone can access to ensure people with disability are part of an inclusive society. It will include videos, work sheets, images, (info about images) a variety of resources and templates. Essentially every part of easy read is about the text.
I also plan to establish Groups for subscribers so they can keep learning, support and network with each other. I have a feedback group of people with disability that can advise what works and what can be improved.
Next level Inclusion are customers already so the business case is proven. There has been a lot of interest within the local disability community and disability networks. Word of mouth has been great and I’m involved with a number of online national disability networks.
I’ve always been passionate about equality. I have a disability and three children with autism. Over the past ten to fifteen years particularly I’ve been a real advocate for human rights, equality and accessibility for everyone.
So many things - the networks in particular. I’ve had so much support in the areas of legal and financial advice. GRIST helped me get my idea straight. It was a wonderful experience.