So you pitched for accessibility - and now you’re leading on it
Beverley Newing (they/them)
Accessibility lead at the Ministry of Justice
@webdevbev

Head of Dev at Three Rings CIC
Creator of ‘Record a goose sighting’
Motorbiker, seamsperson, forager

Accessibility lead means different things in different places

Q: Where are you at?

Tips from my PoV: 

Front-end dev to leading an accessibility team of 6

It is a really rewarding job - but it is different

Accessibility at the Ministry of Justice

You don’t have to be a particular personality type to succeed at it

Talk agenda:
Figuring out the bigger picture - 10 mins
Finding your own feet - 10 mins
Leading others - 10 mins
My northern stars - 5 mins
Audience questions - 10 mins

Figuring out the bigger picture

You may no longer be attached to one project

At the start, you might still get pulled into technical tasks

Your job may now include things like:
Contract management
Org-wide accessibility strategy
Line management
Comms and engagement

Start off by proving why you’re needed

Break it down into chunks

Figure out who you need to engage with - and how

Don’t become the PR pony

Accessibility is a team sport

Create a culture of shared responsibility - or risk burnout

Finding your feet

Comfort vs stretch vs panic zone
@tara_ojo

Some of that might not be in your current skill set

You are now your own boss *

The DDaT framework might help

Create a learning plan

Find your mentors (plural)

Find the hacks that help you work

Be open to new techniques

Imposter syndrome is Real

Support and champion yourself

“If you can’t love yourself, how are you gonna love anyone else?”

Leading others

Making sure your bad day doesn’t become someone else’s

Q: Who here has had a difficult accessibility interaction?

We sometimes have to call people’s babies ugly

Helping people through the valley of despair

Boundaries are your friend

Find your friends and (new) peers

Why are you in the meeting?

Who’s back is the monkey on?

What would you change if you could do it all over again?

My northern stars

It’s a marathon, not a sprint

Be pragmatic - pick your battles

Find your technical serotonin source(s)

Be kind

Q: who now feels more confident about lead roles?

Audience questions?
Beverley Newing
Accessibility lead at the Ministry of Justice
@webdevbev