What's scarier this Halloween - Easy Read translators, or inaccessible information? We showed up in our spooky costumes, ready for the battle. Wishing you a Happy Halloween🎃 from the Make it Easy team.

It’s Mental Health Week in NZ — a time to slow down, notice, connect. We’re sharing “My Hi-5 Wellness Plan” (Easy Read) — a guide you can use to think about 5 areas of wellbeing and build your own plan. 👉 Grab it here: bit.ly/46W5d3k

We are excited to announce we have launched a brand new Make it Easy Newsletter! You can read our first newsletter at lnkd.in/gy_rDggY Dont hesitate and sign up today at lnkd.in/gazmqp9z to get all things Easy Read sent direct to your inbox!

Today is International Day of Sign Languages. The theme for 2025 is No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights. You can find more information at: bit.ly/48uXNGG We have been working with Studio Rebeko to make sure our Easy Read has images representing our diverse community.

Congratulations to the translators who worked so hard on the Rainbow Easy Read! Make it Easy is a finalist in the Plain Language Awards thanks to their hard mahi. You can find out how to attend the Plain Language Awards on their website at: www.plainlanguageawards.org.nz/winners/2025...

This week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week. We have created Easy Read resources about te ao Māori. 🌟 We have Easy Read about Matariki at bit.ly/3VBIi8t 🌟 Soon we will share new Easy Reads about "Visiting a marae" and "What is Karakia?"

It is Daffodil Day! Cancer screening saves lives. We have Easy Read about: - bowel screening - cervical screening Easy Read means more people can learn about and join in screening programmes.

Do you live)? There’s a by-election coming up to elect a local Member of Parliament in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland Voting starts 25 August. Voting ends at 7pm on 6 September. Voting information is available in lots of formats like Easy Read. vote.nz/tamaki-makau...

Today is #NoTechDay - a day to acknowledge the digital divide that means 20% of people in NZ face barriers to accessing the digital world. This is why we recommend clients offer printed Easy Read as well as the digital versions - then more people have access to info they need.

Yesterday the Ministry of Disabled People - Whaikaha released the refreshed New Zealand Disability Strategy for 2026 to 2030. It tells the Government how to make things better for disabled people. Find Easy Read about the strategy and how to have your say about the draft strategy at bit.ly/41d1xbu

We would like to announce we now have a new Facebook page! www.facebook.com/MakeItEasyNZ New to Easy Read? Check out a new Easy Read document written and translated by us - What is Easy Read? You can find this document and many more in our FREE Easy Read library at lnkd.in/gCfxjrMD

People First NZ’s Make it Easy translation service and IHC have worked together to update the very popular Easy Read Individual Employment Agreement. It has all the legal requirements of a standard full agreement. You can find links to the document and read about it at bit.ly/PFIEA

🚨 Big news drops. 📄 Long document. ⏳ Still waiting for Easy Read? That’s not OK. Tell the people in charge: “We want Easy Read on the same day as everyone else!”

NCEA with new national qualifications. You can have your say about what you think of the proposed changes. Consultation is now open and you have until 15 September 2025 to have your say. You can find more information, including Easy Read and other Alternate Formats at: lnkd.in/gehBdUCG

Space weather is when the sun gives out a lot of energy all at once. Space weather is sometimes called a solar storm. You can now find Easy Read information on the Get Ready website called. lnkd.in/gXVNtF74 Thank you to NEMA for working with Make it Easy to create these #EasyRead resources.

The Electoral Commission has shared on their Facebook page about where to find Easy Read about the 2025 local elections. Digital Easy Read: bit.ly/4kYmhuB Order a printed copy: bit.ly/4lKyZ1l Other alt formats: bit.ly/4kST8ku Thanks Electoral Commission for making printed copies avaliable! 🎉

Last week, People First NZ members Roz Gielink & Morgan Smith with MiE Manager Kath Parrish made an Oral Submission about why they believe the Plain Language Act needs to stay. You can find their Submission 37 mins into the video at: bit.ly/44V7z1p Thank you to Roz & Morgan for speaking for PFNZ!

You can now find updated Easy Read information on the Work and Income website about the benefit traffic light system. You can find this information at: www.workandincome.govt.nz/.../traffic....

Many parts of the country have severe weather warnings and the Nelson-Tasman region are in a State of Emergency. For times like this, the National Emergency Management Agency (NZ) worked with us to develop a range of Easy Read about what to do in an emergency. getready.govt.nz/alternate-fo...

The Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha have set out their strategic intentions for 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2028. You can find more information about these strategic intentions, including information in Alternate Formats at tinyurl.com/ykakah4b

July is Disability Pride Month! The Disability Pride flag has 5 coloured lines for different disabilities: • red = physical • gold = learning disability / neurodivergance • white = invisible / undiagnosed • blue = mental health • green = sensory • black background = disabled people who have died.

Happy Chocolate Day! Who doesn't love chocolate thats easy to unwrap? It lets you taste the sweet, smooth chocolate much quicker. Info should be like that too! Everyone needs good info and it should be easy to "unwrap" (understand). 💬 What’s your favourite chocolate? #EasyRead #ChocolateDay

In 2022 the Government passed legislation that made conversion practices unlawful. Te Kāhui Tika Tangata - Human Rights Commission has information in Easy Read about getting support to make a complaint about Conversion Practices. You can find the information at: bit.ly/4eyBn8B

The Make it Easy team joined People First NZ for a great webinar with Callum from @openaccess.nz on alt text and social media accessibility. Thanks Callum for sharing your knowledge with us! Read more in his blog and find out about working with OpenAccess at bit.ly/oa-alttext

It’s Deafblind Awareness Week! 🎉 Meet Donald Gibson, a Deafblind sculptor creating stunning stone works in New Brighton. Watch him in action at the Sculpture Garden: tinyurl.com/mr3csh36 #DeafblindAwareness #Art #Inclusion

We all need a little support sometimes. Maybe someone helped you with a work project, cooked you dinner, or just held the door open when your hands were full. Getting the right support can make life easier for everyone. 💬 Tell us about a time someone made something easier for you!

Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori Greetings of Matariki, the Māori New Year. Tommorow is Matariki! The Make it Easy service is excited to share a brand new Easy Read called “Mānawatia a Matariki - What is Matariki and why it is important in Aotearoa New Zealand.” tinyurl.com/matariki-ER

June is International Pride Month - a time when the rainbow/LGBTQIA+ community gets together to speak up, celebrate, and connect. Want to find out more about rainbow/LGBTQIA+ communities? Check out our Rainbow Easy Read for easy to understand information: lnkd.in/gqgkJgss

#Accessibility matters for everyone, not just people with disabilities. Cars can make it easier to travel further, large print can make it easier to read books. Both of these things make the world more accessible to many people. Comment below how you think we could make our world more accessible?

At Make it Easy we love seeing everyday Easy Read like this - something as simple as the health benefits of eggs and how to cook them is so important to everyday life! #Accessibleinformation #EasyRead #Cooking

There are 2 new Easy Read on the Disability Support Services website. 1) “Funding freeze on residential care lifted on 1 July 2025”. lnkd.in/gDPKpFnb 2) “Community Group Home Pricing Model” lnkd.in/gD6f8Xbg #EasyRead #AccessibilityMatters #DisabilitySupportServices

Potatoes are for everyone. So is information. But some people are left out when things are hard to read. Easy Read makes info clear and fair. Just like spuds, it should be easy to find, easy to use, and made for all. Everyone deserves good food and good info. #EasyRead #PotatoDay

Connected with some incredible people working to make the arts more accessible at the Arts For All Wellington Network hui yesterday by Arts Access Aotearoa We even spotted some Easy Read documents! Great to see accessibility policies being shared and celebrated #ArtsForAll #Accessibility #EasyRead

Lets talk about #AccessibilityInAction Accessibility can be a ramp or captions. It can also be using plain language or adding alt text to posts. It means different things to different people. 💬What does accessibility mean to you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Tomorrow is Pink Shirt Day! By wearing pink, you're doing your part to stop bullying, celebrating diversity, kindness and inclusion. For people with learning disability info about bullying and how to stay safe is important. Find out about our Pink Shirt Day Easy Read at: lnkd.in/ggXh5q_J

Its Global Accessibility Awareness Day! Digital inclusion means making sure websites, apps, and online info are easy for everyone to use. We wrote an Easy Read about using QR codes. You can find the guide in our Easy Read library at: 📲https://bit.ly/44DmdMr Let's make digital spaces acessible!

Local elections are being held in October 2025. The Electoral Commission has about enrolling for the 2025 Local Elections at: bit.ly/3Z8zHMj You can find the Easy Read “Get ready to enrol and vote in the 2025 local elections” at: bit.ly/4jPUigL Make sure you are enrolled so you can vote!r.

Last week Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People released Atoatoali'o – the National Pacific Disability Approach. You can find the full document along with an Easy Read summary and other alternate formats at this website link bit.ly/3YJCZWc

The New Zealand Sign Language Board has released a draft NZSL Strategy for feedback. The strategy’s vision aims to create change needed across government and public to support Deaf people to fully participate in society using NZSL. You can find an Easy Read at: www.nzsl.govt.nz/assets/NZSL-...

The Accessibility and Inclusion in Outdoor Education and Recreation Guide helps break down barriers for disabled children & youth by supporting outdoor providers & educators to make outdoor experiences more inclusive and accessible. You can find the Easy Read at: bit.ly/4jumFk1

The Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) Coalition has released findings from the Disabled Person-Led Monitoring research project. This project monitors how well the NZ government implements the UNCRPD There is an Easy Read summary at: bit.ly/4c73HgU For more information: bit.ly/42namAh

Stats NZ have published information from the 2023 Household Disability Survey. The survey found that 1 in 6 New Zealanders are disabled and that more care and support is needed. You can find Easy Read information about these findings at: lnkd.in/g542mh6Q and lnkd.in/gXEDEHSq

What an incredible day at the Kāpiti Disability Expo! We were thrilled to welcome around 200 attendees from across the Lower North Island, all coming together to connect, learn, and access important services. A BIG thank you to everyone who supported us to get this Expo of the ground!

Check out our stall at the ASID conference in Wellington this morning. We are promoting the: • Easy Read translation service • Rainbow Easy Read • People First • Learn with Us Safety Net Cyber card game. The Rainbow Easy Read documents are available for free download below: lnkd.in/gqgkJgss

Make it Easy has created 8 booklets for and about the Rainbow community. These booklets were co-designed with 4 members of PFNZ. The project was funded by the Rule Foundation. The Rainbow Easy Read documents are available for free download at: linktr.ee/rainboweasyr...

Come check out the free Kāpiti Disability EXPO for everything related to disabilities and support! Explore a wide range of services and attend informative workshops, performances, artwork, and goods created by people with disabilities. Find more info and reserve your spot at: bit.ly/41fK8iX

Te Aka Matua o te Ture | Law Commission is seeking public feedback on hate crime law and options for reform. More information about how to take part is avaliable on the LC website. The summary and Information sheets are also avaliable in Easy Read at: bit.ly/4jZehdp

Have your say on Disability Support Services (DSS) DSS would like your feedback on the assessment process and changes to flexible funding. You can find more information at bit.ly/40W56Sh You can find Easy Read about the questions being asked at: bit.ly/40MTCjW

This Easy Read guide, from Resale Royalties Aotearoa, explains how the Artist Resale Royalty scheme works. Here royalty means money paid to an artist for their artwork because it has been resold. You can find the Easy Read and more information at lnkd.in/gyZnBKuQ

The weather is beautiful, but Easy Read translators are back at work and looking forward to a busy and exciting year. Get in touch if we can help make your information accessible.