Action Blog
Viewing entries tagged with 'people'
Fashion Senses
Wow, our first fashion and design workshop was so much fun!
Virtual communities? Not really real
Over the past couple of weeks, two unpleasant slanging matches have played out very publicly over the Internet in the name of the web community and this has stirred up a wide range of emotions in me - from anger to despair and frustration to melancholy. Although there are people in the web industry who have become friends over the years, I certainly have never felt that I belong to any community, although I am painfully aware of how my ADHD restricts me from ever feeling part of anything. The difficulty i have in managing my emotions is something I am constantly having to contend with, and because of this i have learned how to detach and employ my cognition where my emotions fail me and that's what I have been doing as I have stood back and watched. So, now I am thinking. I am thinking and not feeling, being objective and not subjective. Of course, this is just my opinion, so it is not meant to be accepted verbatim, but it is not conjecture. It is drawn from both what I have experienced and what I have observed.
Ageing and disability: Independence, dignity and freedom of choice
As I have been working with Government on eAccessibility, which focuses primarily on considering the needs of older and disabled people, maintaining as much independence as possible is the principal goal and this goal is a constant, irrespective of the underlying cause of the loss of independence. It is something that I understand all too well and think about more than I care to admit.
Acts of kindness: the thread that connects us
It's funny really how what seem like small events in life end up being pivotal moments and more so how what may appear to be random acts of kindness can actually be major influences in guiding you along your path, catapulting you unintentionally towards achieving your goals. I don't think I am ever going to make sense of such things - if they are coincidence or if they are meant to be - but what I do know is that I never forget those who give of themselves without wanting anything in return, simply because it is the right thing to do.
Is Apple accessibility the best kept secret?
There is no question that Apple products are an integral part of my daily life and I shudder to think what I would do without them. But, and it's a big but, I am downright furious with Apple Inc. Why? Because, despite being lobbied a gazillion times by as many people, they fail to recognise or understand the importance of engaging with disabled people.
Being grateful for the good, the bad and the indifferent
At this time of year, whatever affiliations we may have, there is a steadfast tradition of expressing gratitude to the people who have helped, guided, supported, encouraged, comforted and loved us, and who have done so without any expectation of anything in return. For us lucky folk on the receiving end of such selfless acts of kindness, we are also bestowed with hope; not only because our lives have been enriched by these acts, but because it also reminds us of the incredible capacity for compassion that us humans have.
Employing a visually impaired person makes good business sense
I am lucky. There are no two ways about it. I have the good fortune of having everything any human person needs to be happy and fulfilled. I have a loving family, have had the benefit of a great education and, this is where the luck bit comes in, I have been afforded opportunities.
Losing your sight and maintaining independence is hard work, but it is worth the effort
I do understand why some people just give up the ghost when living with sight loss. It would be so easy to not bother, to sit back and let other people do things for you, to not drag your sorry backside into work and face the frustrations and challenges that life throws at you. I really do understand why such a high majority of visually impaired people are unemployed. It seems like the easier route, but it is not.
Making a big difference - access, accessibility and beyond
In my recent travels in cyberspace (or in writing this blog, using Twitter and doing what I do for a living, for those of you who do not get geek humour), I have met three completely incredible people who do different jobs in different organisations, but what they have in common is that they have been working tirelessly for many, many years to help make technology accessible to disabled people.
Are people I know uncomfortable about my disability?
At first, I thought I was being uber-sensitive and reading into things, which I am prone to do more frequently than I would like to admit, but it seems to be that there is a genuine trend happening here. People that I knew before I registered blind treat me differently than people that I have met since. I know it sounds ridiculous, which is why it has taken me so long to feel confident that this is the case, but I have been secretly assessing the situation and it’s just the way it is.
Tag cloud
accessibility, apple, assistive technology, beauty, benefits, big society, burnley, carers, christmas, coping, digital inclusion, disability, disclosing disability, discrimination, dla, dwp, employment, esa, family, fashion, grieving, happiness, holidays, human rights, ignorance, inclusive design, inclusivity, independence, iphone, life, living with sight loss, love, pension, people, registration, respect, rp, sailing, shopping, sight loss, social inclusion, stereotypes, style, technology, travel, vi people, web accessibility, welfare rights, white cane, work capability assessment,
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