Jacob Matthew
Access Consultant –
Director
Jacob Matthew is our Principal Access Consultant. Living with Cerebral Palsy has presented Jacob with many challenges and his bio can be read below.
“Hi, my name is Jacob, I live with Cerebral Palsy and have a strong passion for advocating access for people with disabilities. I hold seats on a number of disability advisory committee’s, I have presented at national conferences on a wide range of topics and I’ve worked with various disability groups and government departments.
One of these committees that i am a member of, is the International Communication Rights Alliance, where I recently presented to the United Nations Conventional for Person’s with Disability.
Throughout my life I have overcome immense challenges and I decided that my disability would not dictate my potential and it has been the driving force of my passion for making environments more accessible for people with disabilities.
I am independent and I enter the community by myself, so I have first hand experience of some of the barriers that people with disabilities face trying to navigate around what may appear to be a normal environment. I have used a wide range of wheelchairs, scooters and walking frames which gives me first hand experience in trying to navigate an unmodified area.
I attended a mainstream school and after completing my VCE in 2016, I’ve always had a love of buildings and design so began studying Architecture. Early on in my studies I gained an insight into the many aspects of building design including construction methods, the principles of Universal Design and the legislative requirements that assist with creating barrier free environments. This is when my focus changed and I have become dedicated to delivering access to all.”
