Accessibility solutions on show at Access Activator launch
Raewyn Hailes with Intermentis co-founders and Paula Tesoriero (Whaikaha CE).
Six accessibility solutions, chosen from 160 applications, were launched at Creative HQ in Wellington on Tuesday 28 July. All six were funded through Access Activator, a pilot run by Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People with the start-up hub Creative HQ.
Raewyn Hailes, our Access Advisor and Regional Access Coordinator for the Central region, was in the room at the invitation of Intermentis, one of the successful recipients.
The Access Activator program was open for applications for four weeks in March. Whaikaha offered up to $25,000 for early ideas and up to $100,000 for ideas ready to grow. Both partners also gave the teams mentoring and hands-on support.
"Firstly, it was fantastic to see this much-needed investment from Whaikaha. Secondly, one hundred and sixty applications was pretty amazing. It’s great to see so much interest in accessibility innovation," Raewyn says.
Whaikaha staff, Creative HQ staff, and people from across the Wellington disability sector filled the room. Raewyn notes that every impairment type was well represented – welcome news for New Zealand’s diverse disability community.
"There were some very passionate people in the room," Raewyn says. "Lots of innovative ideas, and I think all of them are helpful."
What the six projects do
The six funded projects are:
Access Quest, an app that helps people plan accessible journeys
āhei, a platform making sport more inclusive for disabled children, already used by schools around the country
INSIGHT Research, a toolkit to make homes more autism-friendly
Intermentis, an AI-driven smart doorstep assistant for disabled people and older people
People First: Easy Read Mobile Library, making Easy Read easier to get on mobile phones
Veera, an app for organisations to improve the accessibility of their buildings
Hon Louise Upston, Minister for Disability Issues, presented certificates to the teams.
Which ideas stood out?
Raewyn picked out āhei, which was built by Paralympic athletes and coaches.
Raewyn Hailes with Intermentis co-founders at our National Office.
"I loved āhei, which is a resource that is already seeing great uptake in schools," she says. "I think that one will have an ongoing impact and anything that has an impact on young people and inclusion is really great to see."
She also sees a practical use for the smart doorstep assistant called Soter by Intermentis.
"It has a place with older people, and particularly with people who cannot get out of bed without assistance," she says. "It gives them a safe way to open the door when they need to, without having to get to the door."
A person supported by CCS Disability Action is part of a pilot for the projects.
The connections that came out of the room
A panel followed the pitches. Alanna Irving, Erika Butters, and Nick Ruane talked about what it takes to build a start-up.
Erika Butters, Volition founder.
Erika Butters founded Volition, a platform that supports disabled people to be the decision makers in their own lives. Our Palmerston North team is currently working to develop its use with disability support providers.
"We already have a connection with them and are working with their platform in Manawatū, so it was interesting to have that connection," Raewyn says.
Raewyn also reconnected with someone she used to support in the Wellington branch, who was there on the night. “That was unexpected, and a lovely opportunity to reconnect.”
"It was a really good opportunity for everyone who attended," she says. "There were a lot of conversations and a lot of connections, and there will be ongoing things that come out of it."
What happens next?
The six teams now have to get their work in front of the people who need it. Every project has a website.
Barriers are what disable people, not their bodies or minds. Six new tools will not remove all of them. But each one starts a conversation with a school, a business, or a whānau that was not happening before.
If you are working on something that removes a barrier for disabled people, we would love to hear from you and we watch these projects develop with interest.
About CCS Disability Action
CCS Disability Action is the largest pan-disability support and advocacy organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We support people with all types of impairments and have been working alongside disabled people since 1935.
We are at the forefront of service provision, advocacy and information sharing in the disability sector. We partner with disabled people, their families and whānau to enable them to have choice and control in their lives. Our vision is to see every disabled person and whānau hauā interwoven into the lives of their whānau and community.