Growing digital potential in disabled

ASK ALICE: Gisborne woman Alice Kibble says Workbridge's Grow Digital programme gave her the opportunity to work with and help people who have disabilities. She runs a business called Ask Alice which provides grassroot technology education and design service.Picture By Rebecca Grunwell

A Tairāwhiti-based small business is using a Workbridge-operated digital programme to combat technology challenges faced by people with disabilities.

Workbridge is a not-for-profit organisation that helps people with disabilities and other mental or physical barriers find employment.

The Grow Digital programme helps small businesses who employ disabled people or disabled people who manage and run their own small businesses transform their digital capabilities.

Grow Digital provided 100 packages to help businesses including East Coast business Ask Alice owned and operated by Alice Kibble.

Ask Alice provides grassroot technology education and design service to other small businesses, social services and individuals.

Ms Kibble said through Grow Digital she was able to get funding for a projector and screen to expand on the services she provided.

“I wanted to use the projector and screen as a tool to work with other community organisations or businesses to enhance their digital skills.”

Ms Kibble said Grow Digital gave her the opportunity to work with people with disabilities — “something I am passionate about”.

“I have worked hard to overcome the challenges people face with technology — the ever-changing aspect of it, feelings of not being good enough or that they are too old.

“These perspectives limit their ultimate digital potential as a business and are important to overcome.

“They need somebody who is friendly, approachable and understanding.”

Ms Kibble said the Grow Digital funding she received had not just helped her business step up a level but also the people who accessed her services.

“When you are working with Workbridge you get a wider outreach as you help businesses to help others.”

Workbridge chief executive Jonathan Mosen said Grow Digital was run as a pilot and had now come to an end. It was run with the help of the Department of Internal Affairs.

“It really came about because during the pandemic it was found that there were various disadvantaged groups who were running businesses which were not online.

“When we were all in Level 4 lockdown last year there was a huge impairment issue if you were running a business but were not online. Essentially you're out of business for that period.

“DIA identified a number of key groups. One of those groups were disabled people. We worked with DIA to create Grow Digital and devise packages which were individualised for every person who needed assistance.”

Mr Mosen said for the individualised package, they firstly established if the applicant was a current business owner or on the verge of starting one.

“Then we looked at if they had very clear business plan and what we needed to do to equip them with the technology to make that happen.

“We know it is not that easy for an impaired/disabled person to go to their local polytech and learn how to use a computer because many disabled people have to use a system technology to make their computer work for them.

“For example, I am totally blind and I use a screen reader that speaks what's on the screen or displays in braille on my special braille device. If I went to my local polytech and tried to get help, they wouldn't know what to do because it's such unusual technology.

“So that's what we did. We equipped disabled people with the technology they needed to get the job done.”

Mr Mosen said Grow Digital was a success and he had been receiving emails of gratitude from the recipients.

“They say it is the best assistance they ever had and to get that kind of feedback is really motivating.”