Nature Play WA Secures National Award for Digital Accessibility

Nature Play WA has earned a coveted national award for digital accessibility from the Centre for Accessibility Australia, recognising a commitment to inclusivity and innovation by the organisation.  

The Not-for-profit/Community App of the Year award went to Nature Play WA's Talk N Walk app, designed to promote social connection, friendships, family and feeling good, supporting tween and teen girls and young people to be more physically active and mentally healthy. 

The Talk N Walk app garnered the prize through demonstrating best practice accessibility functionality, including screen reader compatibility, along with greater navigation, assistance, and contextual information, without compromising on design or functionality. 

Upon accepting the award, Nature Play WA CEO Dr Kelsie Prabawa-Sear confirmed the organisation's commitment to inclusion and accessibility: "At Nature Play WA, we're all about kids, and through making our work and programs more accessible, we're providing an opportunity to take the work we're doing to everybody. It's an absolute delight to receive this award." 

Co-designed with more than 100 ten-to-fifteen-year-old girls, including those who identify as girls and non-gender conforming individuals, from around Western Australia, Talk N Walk was developed with seed funding from Healthway. 

Additional funding from Telethon allowed Nature Play WA to engage with children and young people with disability, as well as disability organisations, to identify and implement best practice measures to allow the app to be used by people of all abilities. 

This is the second win for the Talk N Walk app, previously awarded 'Best Practice in Children's Consultation', supported by the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, at the 2022 IPAA WA Achievement Awards. 

Quotes attributed to: Nature Play WA CEO Dr Kelsie Prabawa-Sear  

"Nature Play WA is all about kids, and through making our work and programs more accessible we're providing an opportunity to take the work we're doing to everybody." 

"Nature Play WA as increasingly put human-centred co-design at the heart of our work. What we do and why is very much centred around what the children and young people of Western Australia tell us they want and need." 

"I am incredibly proud of this award, as recognition of the importance of our work in supporting every Western Australian child and young person to take part in our programs and to use our resources." 

Quotes attributed to: Hon. Don Punch, Minister for Regional Development; Disability Services; Fisheries; Seniors and Ageing; Volunteering, Parliament of Western Australia

"The awards are a fantastic channel for showcasing outstanding digital accessibility initiatives, and highlighting best practice, for the greater participation of people with disability."  

"Our country is extremely lucky to have innovative organisations that are dedicated to ensuring people with disability can maximise their potential and participate as equal citizens in our community." 

Quotes taken from transcript of Hon. Don Punch's opening address at Centre for Accessibility Australia awards ceremony, Wednesday 22 November 2023. 

Quotes attributed to: Senator Jordon Steele-John, Senator for WA 

"To the winners of these awards, go and tell everyone that you know, about what you've won and why, and how you achieved it together. For is it only through shining a light on the pathway to accessibility that we can support others and encourage them to come along with us on that journey." 

Quote taken from transcript of Senator Jordon Steele-John's address at Centre for Accessibility Australia awards ceremony, Wednesday 22 November 2023. 

-- ENDS -   

For more information or to organise an interview, please contact:  

Katherine Healy | 0433 824 874 | katherine@natureplaywa.org.au 

About Nature Play WA 

Nature Play WA is an incorporated not-for-profit association and a registered charity, dedicated to supporting the physical and mental well-being of Western Australian children by growing their connection to nature and community through outdoor play. 

We work collaboratively with partners in recreation, education, health, environment, community, and the business world to encourage the WA community to value nature play and for it to be prioritised in children's lives. 

https://www.natureplaywa.org.au/

About Centre for Accessibility Australia 

The Centre for Accessibility Australia (CFA Australia) is an award-winning not-for-profit organisation that promotes accessibility throughout Australia. Our current focus is the incorporation of digital accessibility, so that people with disability can have equal access to technology and the internet. Founded in 2018, the Centre was established to promote the accessibility movement through advocacy, research, training services, auditing services and celebrations such as the Australian Access Awards. 

https://www.accessibility.org.au/

About the Awards 

The Australian Access Awards recognise organisations and individuals demonstrating extraordinary commitment and delivering exceptional outcomes for Australians living with disability. The awards are judged by digital accessibility experts, policy advisors and people living with disability. 

Not-for-profit/Community Organisation App of the Year 

This award is given to a registered Australian not-for-profit organisation demonstrating accessibility best practice delivered through an app.  In accepting the award, CEO Dr Kelsie Prabawa-Sear said, "At Nature Play WA, we're all about kids, and through making our work and programs more accessible we're providing an opportunity to take the work we're doing to everybody. We're relatively new to the inclusion and accessibility world, but what a space to be in - we're never leaving.  It's an absolute delight to receive this award."