Jess's valuable contribution – video transcript
Watch Nicole talk about the value of workplace diversity.
[Description]
Nicole is sitting at her office desk, working on her computer. Her NDIS name badge is stuck to a magnetic part of her desk. An on-screen graphic appears: 'Nicole, Carers Queensland'.
[Nicole Jackson]
I'm the team leader here at Carers Queensland, Partner in the Community, LAC Program for Toowoomba.
[Description]
Nicole is sitting in an interview-style set up, in an office boardroom.
[Nicole Jackson]
Jess is vision impaired. She can't see anything in her environment day to day. Jess is one of a team of five Local Area Coordinators that engages with the community across the whole region that we cover.
[Description]
There is a close up shot on the NDIS and Carers QLD Building signage. Jess walking on a sidewalk next to a road. The shot cuts to Jess walking through the office, using her cane to guide her. She sits down at a table to have a conversation with Nicole.
[Nicole Jackson]
So that might mean meeting with a person for the first time to help them understand what the NDIS is, how they might be able to navigate the access process and whether it's something that they want a level of support to do.
[Description]
Jess sitting in a board room with a co-worker, and some paperwork on the table. There is a closeup shot on the paperwork, which reach 'NDIS Access Request Form'. Jess and the co-worker laugh together.
[Nicole Jackson]
We value diverse skill sets. So because we work with people that have different communication styles, that have had different life experiences, it creates an environment where everyone is respected for who they are, and embraced for who they are as well, and celebrated.
[Description]
Nicole sits at her office desk typing on her computer. A plant in a jar of water sits on a small table next to a sign that reads 'Make Your Own Magic'.
[Nicole Jackson]
Disability is one of those really interesting spaces where the intersectionality applies to everybody. So you have people with a disability from diverse cultural backgrounds, from LGBTIQA+ backgrounds, from First Nations backgrounds who live in rural areas, who live in urban areas. So it goes across the whole gamut of our community. So it's really important for us as a workplace to represent that visually to people, and for people to feel a level of comfort, particularly cultural comfort in that space. If you really want to have the best possible workforce, don't cut yourself off from a huge section of it by having those preconceived notions of what people might cost your business, or difficulties that they might cause for your business. Look at what they will actually bring, to your business, to your area of work, and we need to encourage them to actually make contact with us in the first place. And if you're not trying to tap into that resource, you're actually doing yourself out of potentially amazing employees.
[Description]
Jess having lunch in the office break room with Nicole and another co-worker. The shot cuts back to Jess and Nicole sitting at a desk in the office, having an informal meeting.
[Nicole Jackson]
The solutions are actually quite simple, and Jess is a fantastic example of someone who has done extensive university study. Jess brings a whole range of skills, knowledge and experience to her role. And we're very fortunate that we get to capitalise on that, and we have Jess in that role of engaging directly with people to give them a really good customer service experience.
[Description]
A series of shots. There is a close up of Braille on a toilet sign, close ups of yellow and black tactile tape on the office carpet. The shot cuts back to Jess sitting at her office desk, earphones in, and typing on her laptop. Still wearing headphones, she is making a phone call using assistive touch on her phone. The shot cuts to her smiling and talking to another co-worker in a meeting room. A Queensland Government logo graphic appears, with text and URL underneath it. This reads: For more information visit qld.gov.au/qld-disability-plan.