Lessons on Disability and Inclusion from Partnering with CPSN

Over the last year, we’ve had the honour of working with the team at Cerebral Palsy Support Network (CPSN), and it’s been eye opening, to say the least. 

Speaking for myself, it’s meant coming out of my bubble, learning from people with lived experience, getting a sense for just how complex the NDIS is, and dealing with society’s stereotypes and general lack of understanding. And I include myself in there.

See, this was my first experience interacting with people with a disability. My awareness, knowledge and experience of disabilities was close to zero, and it’s something I’ve always been embarrassed about. I was also afraid of saying the wrong thing and causing offense, due to my ignorance. I felt a big case of imposter syndrome at the start of this partnership, and almost pulled out of even putting forward a proposal of work. But we approached it in the same way we approach any marketing challenge: with an open mind and curiosity. 

Obviously, there’s a long way to go to achieve true diversity, inclusion and equality for people with a disability. And it’s important to hear their voices and amplify their voices. Through this partnership, I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside some absolute legends with lived experience. People with so much heart, who show up every day and try to create a world with equal opportunity for people with cerebral palsy. They have also shown a lot of grace when we got things wrong and teaching us more about how to communicate and design for accessibility which we share more in ‘What to consider when designing an accessible website’.

Even while writing this article, the imposter syndrome came at me again (who am I to write about this?), so I sense checked it with Josh, CPSN’s customer service coordinator who I’ve worked with closely this year, and was reassured by his comment

“ I would say yes, while Harvey has jumped into this partnership with little knowledge, don't be too critical as basically that's where everyone - the baseline, and you guys have had the willingness to jump onboard with us and learn about what we do and about CP and disability more broadly. Not only have you welcomed feedback, you have also mentored the team, myself included on things like task prioritising, content creation and I would even say Harvey has contributed to our newish work culture with new ways of working”. 

What is Cerebral Palsy? 

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a broad group of movement disorders that affect movement and posture due to damage to the developing brain. While it is a life-long physical disability, the way it presents in you or your child can change over time.  

There are 34,000 in australia, 17 million world wide and 1 in 700 Australian babies is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Learn more: www.cpsn.org.au 

Elizabeth (CPSN’s Customer Service Lead)Lizzie at CPSN says,

“With the right support, we have really good lives living with cerebral palsy. We get to pursue the things we’re passionate about, and have wonderful friends, family and colleagues the same way others do.”

About CPSN

CPSN is a specialist disability support organisation dedicated to individuals with cerebral palsy and similar disabilities. They take a personalised, hands-on approach to building tailored support teams that meet each client’s unique needs. With 30 years of experience and a strong commitment to employing people with cerebral palsy, CPSN brings unparalleled understanding of the disability system and navigating the complexities of the NDIS. Their deep insight into the nuances and challenges faced by the community shapes the compassionate and effective support they provide.

Brand video created with our partners at Fancy Films

Our work with CPSN

• A marketing review of their current activities, positioning and messaging to provide strategic recommendations to help improve their NDIS services offering (with the objective of new clients)
• Conducted interviews with clients, the team, support workers and other industry professionals in the disability sector to get a better understanding of the challenges and pain points, and what could be done better in the disability service space.
• Facilitated design workshops with the team (some who have lived experience with CP) to develop ideas to inform a 12-month marketing calendar. 
• Helped the team roll out the marketing plan, playing the role as their ‘outsourced marketing director’ including a rebuild of a new website and brand positioning to come in the next year - stay tuned!

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