People First is a charitable self-advocacy organisation that empowers and supports people with learning disabilities in New Zealand. For many years they’ve run in-person group workshops to help their members learn about topics like speaking up, employment rights and finances. But it’s been a challenge for members in remote locations to access these workshops. People First wanted to create a digital tool that would get this content to those who need it even when attending in person isn’t possible.

We worked closely with People First to design Learn With Us, a digital tool that delivers similar content to their workshops, but can be accessed from anywhere. Through participatory design involving people with learning disabilities at every step of the way, we sought to stay true to People’s First’s mantra — “nothing about us, without us”. We created a new fun, simple, accessible brand and logo, and designed the tool to congratulate learners on small wins at every step of the way, helping them see the progress they’re making and encouraging them to stay positive and engaged.

We’ve had fantastic feedback from People First about the process of collaborating with us to design a tool that truly caters to people with learning disabilities. Learn With Us delivers valuable content in a positive, fun, accessible and supportive way, and gives People First a way of getting the content from their in-person workshops to community members who can’t otherwise access it. It was created through close collaboration with people with disabilities, and it celebrates learners’ wins in a way that encourages them and gives them something to show others as a record of their achievement.