Charity launches guide to more inclusive marketing

A Newcastle-based disability charity is helping more young people access meaningful work opportunities.

The Percy Hedley Foundation is marking three years of its Beyond employability initiative, which supports disabled students and adult learners to gain career experience across sectors including retail, sports and construction. 

Employers involved include Newcastle Eagles, Eldon Square and Bellway Homes.

Strategic communications agency Gardiner Richardson has partnered with Percy Hedley to provide insight into careers in marketing and communications, with the collaboration leading to an Accessible Communications Guide, shaped by Percy Hedley service users, which offers practical advice for businesses and organisations to create more inclusive and accessible content.

Kerry Robinson, project manager at Percy Hedley Foundation, said: “Collaborating with employers like Gardiner Richardson has a powerful impact on our students and adult learners as they build their employability skills. 

“This ongoing partnership has given them the chance to contribute meaningfully, boosting their confidence and sense of empowerment.  

“The Accessible Communications Guide is a great example of the real difference our members at the Percy Hedley Foundation can make when supported by forward-thinking, inclusive employers.” 

Jen Hallam, director at Gardiner Richardson, added: “Working alongside students at Percy Hedley has been such a positive experience for us as a business. 

“It has been a collaboration in the truest sense of the word, allowing us to learn from each other. 

“The students have gained an insight into the industry, and we've learnt so much about accessible communications from their lived experience. 

“If brands and communications aren’t accessible, people are excluded from the conversation. 

“This is not only bad for business, but it makes our communities and conversations less rich and less diverse. 

“We look forward to working on more projects with the team at Percy Hedley in the future.” 

To download the guide, see here.

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