Clients

Converting complex written and online content into Easy Read format to provide accessibility for all

In partnership with Blend Creative, Maven has translated multiple documents for the Strong & Capable group into Easy Read format. Documents include reports, legal frameworks, animation scripts, flyers and online blogs.

“Recently they [Maven] translated a document full of legal terms and difficult topics and turned it into a remarkable document that lost none of its intent or substance. We could not have been more delighted, and it is now my ​‘go to’ document rather than the more formal legal one.”  Lis Burtnik, Project Manager, Strong & Capable Group. 

In March 2021, 16 PhysioXtra staff participated in Maven’s face-to-face tailored disability awareness training.

Training content included disability models and language, how to guide someone who is blind, how to conduct informal access and inclusion checks and how to manage common customer service scenarios for people with disability. Participants included Senior Managers, Customer Service and Admin staff and allied health clinicians.

“The real life experiences that Michael and Charles could relay to us were extremely valuable as a learning tool.” Training participant.

In May 2021 Triathlon Australia participated in a 2 hour online Disability Foundational Training session

The content for Triathlon Australia included definitions, intersectionality and prevalence of disability, models and language used to describe disability, how to check for social model barriers and conduct informal access and inclusion checks and top tips for communicating and interacting with people with disability 

The training was deemed to be highly effective with all participants reporting to have found the training valuable and to have learnt something new. They also reported that the training worked well in an online modality.

Further results:

• Participants rated their knowledge and skills after completing the training in how to work with people with disability as an average of 9 out of 10
• Their confidence in communicating with people with disability increased to 7 out of 10.
• Overall participants rated Maven’s training as an average of 10 out of 10, with no participant rating the training as lower than 8 out of 10. 

“A big thank you from myself and the team. It was an outstanding session and I have had some great conversations and feedback post the training.” Triathlon Australia training coordinator

Maven conducted an accessibility and inclusion technology and computer service assessment for an ABC International Development employee with a disability.

To do this, Maven’s disability inclusion adviser established rapport with the employee through talking about their lived experience of a similar disability and the types of accessibility technology that assists them to participate fully in work. 

Following the Maven assessment, a report was generated listing the key recommendations for reasonable adjustments and technology to support the employee in their role. 

“The report will enable us to move forward and make a decision about what equipment our staff member needs,” said the ABC ID Project Manager.

22 staff completed two day face-to-face training

After taking part in Maven’s two-day face-to-face disability awareness training, 22 Relationships Australia SA staff increased their confidence in working with someone with disability by an average of 4 points. Furthermore, 100% of participants rated the training as ⁸⁄₁₀ or higher. 

“It really helped in broadening my understanding of the things I need to think about and how to make the service accessible and inclusive.” Training participant. 

Maven delivered tailor-made disability awareness training on how to create services and a workplace that is inclusive and accommodating towards people with disability.

Topics covered included: 

• Disability language
• Communication skills
• Concept of ​‘Help’
• Easy English
• Abuse, neglect and trauma 
• Models of disability 
• Access and inclusion checks and solutions 
• Inspiration porn

Most sessions were facilitated by Maven staff with lived experience of disability. This enabled the participants to gain first-hand understanding of the barriers faced by people with disability in the workplace and when accessing services. Participant testimonials in the post-training evaluation indicated that this was a key strength of Maven’s training.

Online tailored Disability Awareness Training focussed on building disability confidence of both customer service and clinical staff

Maven have designed and delivered online training modules for both customer service and clinical staff that have been rolled out annually. 

In 2020, 208 staff from Relationships Australia WA completed Maven’s online training. 

• 94% of participants felt the online training worked well 
• 96% learnt something new about disability inclusion. 
• The most valued sessions included those on inspiration porn, disability language and communication skills. 

In 2021, 35 staff completed Maven’s online Disability Foundational and Clinical training. On completion of the training, participants increased their self-ratings of disability knowledge, skills and confidence people by an average of 3 points. 

100% of participants reported the training to be directly relevant to the organisation with key learnings including recognition of the impact that attitudinal barriers and language has on people with disability, that it is ok to ask questions and to not make assumptions. 

Maven’s training content has assisted Relationships Australia WA to develop a disability eLearning module that forms part of new staff onboarding. 

“Great session, better than I had imagined it would be. All Mavens were brilliant.” 2021 training participant 

“By listening to people with lived experiences of disability, I am brought up against some of my own prejudices, which helps with bringing humility to any potential interaction when I may not know all of the other person’s reality.” 2021 training participant. 

Online tailored Disability Foundational Awareness Training and Disability Specialist Training.

Maven have designed and delivered annual online training modules for administration, coordination and clinical staff. In 2021, 20 staff completed Maven’s Foundational Disability Awareness Training and 21 staff completed Maven’s Disability Specialist Training. 

Also in 2021, Maven designed and delivered an online clinical training on working with clients with intellectual disability that was attended by 14 staff from Relationships Australia NT and Victoria. 

Results

• 100% of participants reported that the training was directly relevant to their roles and that the online training modality was an effective tool for learning. 
• 83% of participants rated the training as 9 or 10 out of 10

Key learnings from this training included the importance of breaking down information into simple terms, to use Easy Read principles and to be flexible and open when working with people with intellectual disability.