Re: Remote testing opportunity for blind user?

Hi all,

Thanks everyone for all your leads - I've passed them on for her to
consider what she thinks might work best for her.
She'll be in touch in due course.

Best
Peter

On 23 May 2017 at 14:24, Peter Heery <peterheery@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I know a person here in Edinburgh (Scotland) who I have used in usability
> studies in the past.
>
> She’s an experienced VoiceOver user on iOS and is totally blind and
> provides thoughtful, measured and detailed feedback.
>
> I’m wondering if anyone would be able to help her by adding her to your
> pool of remote testers as she’s unfortunately in a position were her
> benefits will be cut unless she can provide evidence that there is a demand
> for her accessibility evaluation skills.
>
> Please find enclosed her edited email below.
>
> If anyone is interested, I can pass on her email address to get in touch.
>
>
> ***
> I wonder if you can help me. I recently applied to have my access to work
> support renewed. If you are not Familiar with access to work, it is a
> government program that provides personal support i.e. people and or
> travelling expenses for disabled people who are either self-employed or in
> paid employment.
>
> I have been receiving access to work support for the last six years under
> two separate contracts and this has enabled me to employ helpers on an ad
> hoc basis regularly and also covers 50% of my travelling costs around
> Edinburgh. However, I now understand that in October 2015, the rules
> covering access to work provision were changed. This means I now have to
> earn more money from my self-employment in order to qualify for access to
> work support. I have been told, I do not earn enough money to qualify for
> access to work support and travel expenses under the new rules.
>
> As I know you can imagine, this has been a body blow. it means simply that
> I am no longer able to employ the help I need or receive help with the
> travelling expenses I incur for simply doing my work. I can appeal against
> this decision but it was explained to me, I am in a very weak position.
>
> So what do I need from you? I know you value my art work and all my
> practice stands for, so could you please write and send to me by email, a
> message of support and a description saying how you believe my art and
> disability practice benefits other people. I am meeting with my MSP on
> Friday the 26th of May in order to enlist her help and I am currently
> preparing a dossier of evidence to support my case.
>
> The other thing I must do in order to win the appeal, is to present
> evidence that there is a demand for what I do and people are willing to pay
> me for my services.I have identified three main areas where I can generate
> payments and these are broadly:
>
> 1 selling my art work and applying for grants to support my project work
> and exhibitions.
>
> 2 providing arts and disability training, workshops and presentations.
>
> 3 providing website evaluations and training around accessible apps for
> disabled people.
>
> If you know of anyone, person, organisation or company, who would be
> interested in engaging me to provide any of these services, please could
> you let me know. I am hoping, if I can show evidence that I have an income
> from future sales and activities, this will be enough to satisfy the access
> to work team and they will reinstate my provision. However, ultimately I
> must do more than that. I must secure additional paid work so that I avoid
> falling into this situation next time.
>
> Let me thank you in advance. If however you feel you cannot immediately
> help me but can point me in a more positive direction, I would greatly
> appreciate it!
>
> Again, thank you so much and I hope to hear from you soon.
>
> With warmest regards and very best wishes!
>
>
> ***
>
> Thanks
> Peter
>