Impact Story - Lauren Patrick
When Lauren Patrick applied to work at The Achieve Foundation (TAF), she was encouraged to learn there was other leaders with disability on the team. As a d/Deaf person, Lauren was cautious about joining organisations that don’t have strong representation from the Deaf community. At TAF she found an organisation that where flexible work arrangements and open communication about adjustments were welcomed. She was particularly excited about joining the Disability Employment Catalyst (DEC) program, which creates safe spaces for managers to discuss and receive feedback on real-life situations involving employees with disability, in order to create more inclusive workplaces.
Her passion is deeply personal. Lauren brings not only professional dedication but also lived experience to her role. Navigating the workforce with a disability has given her a unique perspective on the systemic and social barriers that many people with disability face. Through TAF and the DEC, Lauren is committed to breaking down these barriers, emphasising that this work is about more than just finding jobs, it’s about advocating for human rights.
“It’s a human right to be given education, given employment… it should be normal [for people with disability]. It shouldn’t be ‘Oh, my gosh, you got a job.’ It should just be normal,” she says, echoing the core values of TAF and the DEC program in promoting equality and inclusion.
As the Pilot Project Coordinator for the DEC, Lauren now works at the intersection of two worlds: supporting job seekers with disability and guiding employers to understand how to work inclusively. She acknowledges that building employability is only part of the challenge; reshaping employer mindsets is equally crucial.
Lauren explains that many employers still hold rigid expectations about how work should be done. Through the DEC program, she advocates for employers to replace judgment with curiosity, embrace flexibility, and be open to doing things differently. Adaptability, she says, is key to creating employment experiences that work for everyone, a principle that TAF strongly supports.
Still, the journey isn’t always easy. Many job seekers with disability become discouraged after repeated negative experiences in recruitment processes that are not designed to be accessible or accommodating. These encounters can erode confidence and make it harder to try again. Through TAF and the DEC program, Lauren is dedicated to changing these narratives by advocating for more inclusive and supportive recruitment practices.
As a D/deaf person herself, Lauren has faced many of these barriers firsthand, from inaccessible work environments to communication obstacles. But the greatest hurdle, she says, has often been attitudes. With the support of TAF and the DEC program, she is working to shift these attitudes and create more inclusive workplaces.
“There are such bright deaf and hard of hearing people out there, really, really bright, but they’re just not given the chance to prove themselves…” Lauren emphasises, highlighting the importance of the DEC program in providing these opportunities.
Lauren also hopes that the Disability Employment Catalyst can help normalise employment for people with disability, making it a standard part of life rather than an extraordinary achievement.
Lauren emphasises that key to successfully employing people with disability are accessibility and a willingness for employers to be challenged and grow. She credits TAF for embodying these principles, which has made a world of difference in her own experience.
Despite various challenges, Lauren is keen to continue growing the project. Acknowledging that it will always be a “work in progress,” she is determined to see the Disability Employment Catalyst help others access the same opportunities she has had, making open employment more accessible for all people with disability.
