ELSEY's own cartoonist!

August 20, 2024

Meet Matthew Anderson

The Easy Read Toolbox is proud of our record for providing fairly paid employment to disabled people. Consistently over 80% of our team have disabilities.


In a conversation with a colleague, Chris, from Max Employment, learned about our work and wondered if we might be interested in employing Matthew Anderson, a young Queensland man who loved producing cartoons for his online followers.


Chris and Matthew reached out to Karen (the Toolbox founder) and over a chat we realised that Matthew could be the perfect fit for our ELSEY project.


ELSEY stands for 'Easy Life Skills for Every Youth', and coincidentally, the ELSEY team had started working on employment resources.


While Matthew worked on his first cartoon, as a trial, Chris worked with Karen to set up financial support for Matthew's wage. As the Toolbox's income can be unpredictable, this was a very welcome 'bonus'!


Read more about Matthew's experiences in this article by Max Employment.


[Image description for cartoon above: Employment Tips: Dressing for the Interview. A koala is dressed in a tuxedo, wondering if it is too dressy. He is then dressed in a SCUBA suit, saying "Wrong suit". In the last frame he is dressed in a collared shirt and tie, and pants. He has his thumb up, saying "Just right".]

By Easy Read Team January 13, 2025
Let's Hear Direct From Megan
By Easy Read Team January 13, 2025
I am a queer, disabled artist, activist, performer and producer. I have worked in my ‘day job’ for 25 years, this has been working in various education, advocacy and policy roles in the Canberra Community sector. This background set me up as an activist for life. I started my queer identity journey in 2004, at the age of 36. It took some years to arrive at all my various shades of queer. In 2018 I was diagnosed with I ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephomyalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and, later Fibromyalgia. I have lived a very limited life since. In August 2024, at age 56 I got the final piece of the puzzle of myself when I was assessed as being Autistic. After becoming sick in 2018 I had to change my life dramatically and have returned to almost full-time art making. My art is everything to me. It gives me a voice to express my identities and helps me balance my mental health through the processes of making. In 2022 I won the Chief Minister’s Inclusion Award for Excellence in Making Inclusion Happen. I like working for the Easy Read Tool Box as it gives me a chance to use some of my skills and feel connected to a group of people who believe in the work we do. I make digital drawings, I crochet, I also do performance and produce shows & I have various social media accounts.
By Karen Hedley January 11, 2025
Are you looking for a rewarding work experience opportunity with a social enterprise?
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