2024 in a nutshell

I've tried to write a summary of 2024 for the Toolbox so many times, but keep getting stuck! Too much has happened!

So I started by asking my team what their highlights of 2024 with the Toolbox were:

• Easy Read Writer Jacque said that the photos from our most recent photoshoot (stay tuned as we launch those early next year!) and our team Christmas lunch were her favourites.
• For Megan, their highlights were switching roles from social media creator, to writer. Megan is starting out as an Easy Read writer, and has been writing blog articles, grant applications and more.
• Karlie, from our VA team, told me that she really enjoyed the updated process we have for setting up a photoshoot, including Easy Read information, and taking over producing our newsletters has been fun for her to learn and do! She also looking forward to learning about our new CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) in 2025.
• Kathryn, our Senior Writer has really enjoyed learning to use Canva, and supporting Matthew (our Cartoonist) to learn it too. She has loved working closely with Matthew, who came to us through MAX Solutions, and helping him learn about employment generally, as well as with the Toolbox. She has also enjoyed joining the International Easy Read Community of Practice.

For myself, I would sum it up as:

• Watching our team grow in skills, confidence, and size. I have focused on helping the team learn, and believe in themselves, and then watched the magic that happens through that.
  Examples: Definitely our experience with Matthew. Alina and Megan joining us and Ladina coming back. Meg going to uni! Sezi needing a reference for a job too! Celebrating with Deb when she was here in Canberra and our coworking days. what else???!!! Seeing Kathryn working and developing, supporting Matthew, Akiko and more. Being selected as a Social Enterprise Champion for SECNA.
• It has been a difficult year financially, as I worked out that writing Easy Read doesn't bring enough profit for us to grow and be sustainable. The highlights have been interacting with the team, and the many amazing people now in the Toolbox's orbit, in order to review, revise and create new opportunities for us to create profit, which - of course! - we can invest in projects such as ELSEY.
  Examples: Various mentors, especially Naomi from many rivers (who I met in person today!), and Julie from Asuria. Being accepted into the Scale for Impact Program through The Mill House Ventures and facilitated by Social Impact Hub, and the mentorship provided by both teams.
• Being successful in receiving one of the inaugural ACT Social Enterprise grants, and the opportunities that has brought, including marketing expertise, and the support of Luke from Webblend, who is developing a series of automations behind the scenes, making sure our client systems are robust, and I don't forget any actions I am supposed to have taken! The team has also worked hard as we switched over to Microsoft (Thanks Evan!) and refined our operations, including our policies, recruitment and more.
• Having the honour of working with clients including CBM Australia and CBM Global, DFAT, ACT Office for Disability, Hands Across Canberra, IDEAS Disability Information, INtopia, The Gordon TAFE, and more. We learn so much about each client as we work on their documents and workshops, and become their supporters, as they support our vision through working with us.

Lastly, I would like to thank each of you who reads this blog, who supports us, who grows our networks and our knowledge. We appreciate every one of you.

Looking forward to an amazing 2025!!!

Karen

PS: I started painting this year, after 3+ decades of telling myself I couldn't. Imagine my surprise when I realised I actually could!! The image is a reproduction of Van Gogh's irises, painted with thick, textured paint in shades of blue and green.