Clare Tarling

What I am good at?  

I love making Easy Read and "plain English" information. It is strangely satisfying to start with a 100-page document and wrangle it into 16 pages of large print. I completed an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) in 2019, which inspired me to start my own Accessible Information business. I'm good at training and facilitating - both online and in-person. Outside work, I read, run, and am a taxi service for my 2 teenage boys. I also play the fiddle in ceilidh bands for weddings and other events.

How I am helping with the project?

I am using my experiences in Advocacy, accessibility and inclusion to support the Stakeholder Group, and to produce the toolkit. I have been involved with running the Health Foundation's "Inclusion Panel" for 2 years, and I will be using this experience to make sure we include and support every group member.

What is important to me?

When I left university, I worked in residential homes for adults with learning disabilities. I loved the work but was uncomfortable with the power imbalance, lack of training, and rigid routines. People had very little say about their day-to-day lives. I then had the opportunity to co-found a "People First" self-advocacy organisation, working on a communications project, so I jumped at the chance! I have worked in local Advocacy charities ever since.

So what is important to me? Respecting every person's right to make decisions, be in charge of their own life, and to be an active citizen. We need excellent organisations to support this - health, care, councils, charities - and I want to be part of that.