Blend Creative, a certified social enterprise, and Australia Post, a Social Traders business member, won the 2023 SA & WA game changer award, which unlocked inclusive employment through their rewarding social procurement partnership. In a significant collaboration, Australia Post worked with Blend Creative to craft their Accessibility and Inclusion Plan. This endeavour aligned values and fostered a commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and authenticity.

Bridging values: A collaborative approach

Blend Creative are a multi-service, socially inclusive graphic design studio that has been providing real work opportunities to designers with disability since 1990.

Australia Post's values of trust, inclusivity, empowerment, and safety resonated seamlessly with Blend Creative's ethos—to think differently, create uniquely, and add a socially conscious touch. This alignment set the foundation for a collaboration that went beyond the traditional design process.

“Sharon Carroll, the driving force behind the project at Australia Post, brought the invaluable perspective of lived experiences into the content creation. Her involvement ensured that the Accessibility and Inclusion Plan genuinely reflected inclusivity.”- Monique Russell, Account Director, Blend Creative

Beyond design: Creating accessibility

Blend Creative translated Australia Post’s Accessibility and Inclusion Plan into an easy-to-read version. This step was crucial to ensure the widest possible audience engagement. The goal was not just to convey information but to make it accessible and engaging for everyone.

The collaboration between Australia Post and Blend Creative brought authenticity to the document. The presence of the lived experience voice during both content creation and design development elevated the plan's validity. This made it a standout representation of the pair's commitment to accessibility.

“We loved working with AusPost, an organisation demonstrating through action, disability inclusive practices. From our Zoom meetings to content translation and design, the project united lived experience to produce beautiful, engaging, and inclusive materials that are available to all their staff.”

Recognition of excellence

Australia Post's commitment to accessibility and inclusion was acknowledged by the Australian Network on Disability. The Australian Network on Disability named Australia Post the top performer of the 2023 Disability Confidence Awards triumphing over formidable competitors like ABC, NAB, and Medibank.

The collaboration has opened conversations and the potential for further collaborative opportunities in the future.

Learning and development journey

The project provided over 10 hours of design time to Blend Creative staff and became a catalyst for the ongoing learning and development of eight staff with disabilities. Blend Creative provided 96 hours of targeted training to those involved in the project, developing their design skills in a socially inclusive workplace.

“Like many projects undertaken by Blend Creative, the AusPost project contributed to practical learning that was delivered on the job to our team of designers with disability. Being able to support technical design skills through live projects is ideal for the comprehension and retention of professional development in our team”- Monique Russell, Account Director, Blend Creative.

The collaboration between Australia Post and Blend Creative goes beyond a successful design project. It showcases the incredible impact of values-aligned collaboration and the power of inclusive design. Together, they've crafted a document that reflects a deep commitment to accessibility and inclusion and highlights the transformative power of social procurement partnerships.

“Sharing the final project with the team and seeing how they responded, knowing that their contribution was a part of it, was priceless. It’s more than just a project, its lives being enriched through meaningful employment”. - Monique Russell, Account Director, Blend Creative