Bridging Digital Gaps: Our Visit to Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centre
At MindJam, we are dedicated to empowering neurodivergent young people through emotional support mentoring through gaming and digital skills. Our 1-2-1 online sessions offer a safe space for young people to build confidence, be themselves, and develop valuable skills in the modern digital age. We were recently honored to be invited to Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centre (ADC) in London, which was an experience that both inspired and filled us with ideas for the future.
A Day of Discovery
Entering the Google ADC was a powerful reminder of what technology can do to equalise the playing field. The facility is designed to showcase Google’s latest advances in accessible technology, with a clear mission: to make technology available to all. From voice recognition tools to adaptive hardware and screen reading technology, every demonstration reiterated the ways that technology can enable those who face digital barriers. What made the space more important was that it was not just about showcasing new technology, but it was about providing a space where people can come together to question, consider and create different approaches to working with technology for greater digital accessibility.
For us, this was not just a tour, it was an opportunity to reconsider how we produce knowledge and resources for young people, parents, and schools we work with. Several of the free-to-use products we hope to showcase in the near future, have the potential to be life-changing for our community, particularly those struggling with digital poverty or who are facing accessibility barriers.
Google’s Mission in Action
Google’s values in “making the world a more accessible place” are ones that resonate strongly with MindJam. Their mission statement is ‘to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful’, and it’s this belief in universal design and technology for everyone, regardless of the able-bodied or educated, that looks at the heart of what a lot of young people and families struggle with on a daily basis.
We were especially impressed by Google’s focus on free-to-access tools such as Google Chrome extensions, speech-to-text programs, and accessibility features integrated into Android devices. These little but mighty tools could be a game-changer for neurodivergent youth who have difficulty with reading, writing, or communication.
Overcoming Digital Poverty
Perhaps the most urgent issue in our work is that of digital poverty. Software and hardware access still isn’t universal to many young people in the UK, so it is harder for them to get into learning or even build digital competence. Google’s efforts at opening up tools which are made accessible for free is a critical part of closing the gap. We believe that across many support services, more effort needs to go towards getting more attention for what exists already.
Our visit highlighted the importance of creating resource packs for parents, mentees, and schools that clearly refer to free software and accessibility features. This is something we are currently developing as part of our ongoing work, ensuring that all young people we mentor have access to resources that can help them succeed.
What’s Next?
We’re motivated by our experience to create web based resources that will allow our community to access free, usable technology. We’re committed to sharing what we’ve learned,demystifying the jargon, and creating easy-to-use guides that make the tools more accessible to the mentees, families and schools we support.
The visit to the Google ADC was a reminder that accessibility is never about just designing for individuals who have additional needs, it’s about creating technology that is good for all. This is incredibly important to all at MindJam, and we are excited to be able to meet with companies and agencies that are purposefully working towards a more accessible digital world.
If you would like to stay informed about our travels or get access to our upcoming resource packs, then keep an eye out for more information on our social media and through our newsletters. We believe we can build a more inclusive world together, one digital skill at a time.
