2023 Blind Australian of the Year FINALIST – Ayesha Patterson, WA
Introducing 2023 Blind Australian of the Year FINALIST… Ayesha Patterson from WA
Grass roots Community Development. Ayesha Patterson lives and breathes community!
Making life better where the rubber hits the road – capacity building in the community environment, workplaces, and social settings.
Ayesha’s mission is clear: to make Mandurah more accessible to all its residents, regardless of their abilities.
Ayesha is an integral member of the community development team at APM Communities in Mandurah. Her dedication to creating and strengthening community connections has had and will continue to have a profound impact on this regional city.
One of Ayesha’s passion projects, a socially inclusive event called Easybeatz, held at a local pub, supports over 100 attendees bi-monthly, to participate in a comfortable and welcoming space. Ayesha heads the working group, supporting her fellow members to build their own capacity as well as that of the host venue.
Ayesha is a powerful advocate and facilitator of inclusive workplaces. This comes from an all-too-common experience for those living with blindness – the challenge of getting a job. APM Communities provided that opportunity and Ayesha has proved that her skills and capacity have nothing to do with her condition.
Ayesha works to effectively connect people living with disability to their community. She works with employers that are committed to providing inclusive environments, ones that create a pathway for progression for their staff with diverse skills and experiences.
Ayesha is an active fundraiser for a range of assistance animal related organizations. She takes every opportunity to educate and empower those around her, with or without lived experience of disability. She is an avid user of assistive technology and brings her understanding of the tools and strategies for living a full life independently to all around her.
Congratulations Ayesha on becoming a Finalist for the 2023 Blind Australian of the Year!
APM Communities Youtube video that talks about Ayesha’s Customised Employment Journey with us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb5Ia6aR1YI
