Communicating for Change

Ruby Sturt

Hey everyone, welcome back to Beyond the Label! I'm Ruby, and I've got Eric here with me as always. Today, we’re breaking down the big one: communicating for change. Effective advocacy? It all starts with how we get our message across, right?

Eric Marquette

Absolutely, Ruby. And, I mean, we can’t talk about advocacy without talking about actually being understood—by everyone, not just those used to the jargon. It’s funny, we toss around words like “accessible” a lot, but real accessibility in communication means thinking about every single person who might hear—or see—your message.

Ruby Sturt

Yes! Like, it’s not just about dumbing things down or adding a bigger font. I remember the first time I saw assistive tech in action. This was back at—oh, what was it—some media conference in Sydney. I thought, okay, cool, subtitles and braille brochures. But then, this local advocacy group stood up and they’d made these visual guides, like actual icons and storyboards, for a council meeting so nonverbal people could participate. I was floored. The vibe just shifted, people who usually sat quietly were suddenly involved and you could see the difference. Changed my whole perspective.

Eric Marquette

That’s such a good example. And clarity goes both ways, doesn’t it? Like, we talked about Universal Design in tech way back in the first episode—making things clear and accessible helps everyone, not just folks with specific needs. When you tailor your message, you widen the circle, rather than excluding anyone who can’t engage the “standard” way.

Ruby Sturt

Right. And sometimes you get it wrong, or you assume something lands the way you intend, but it just... doesn’t. So much about advocacy is learning who’s not being reached and then rebuilding how you’re talking. And honestly, it can be as simple as switching up your media—pictures, audio, tactile stuff. It all adds up.

Eric Marquette

And it’s ongoing, isn’t it? Communication isn’t just a box to tick, it’s a constant adjustment to make sure the message doesn’t fall flat.

Eric Marquette

Speaking of ongoing—you can have the most beautifully crafted message in the world, but unless you’re building relationships, it goes nowhere. I always think, trust is the currency here. Without it, advocacy fizzles out fast, especially when you’re getting policymakers involved.

Ruby Sturt

Totally. You know that public transport campaign in Sydney—the one where persistent messaging actually broke through? It was such a lesson in sticking at it and keeping your audience, from commuters to city councillors, engaged over time. They moved beyond just facts and stats and started sharing stories—real people’s daily struggles just trying to catch a bus that wasn’t accessible. After a while, people couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Eric Marquette

Exactly. The people behind that campaign didn’t just show up once. They built credibility through steady communication and then, when the city was finally reviewing bus contracts, their input carried real weight. And these days, digital platforms play a huge part. Ruby, what do you reckon—is social media just ‘more noise,’ or is there a smart way for advocates to make an impact?

Ruby Sturt

Great question. I mean, yes, the internet can just be a screaming void if you’re not careful. But if you know who you’re trying to reach, harnessing those platforms lets you go way beyond the local council room. You can target posts, host live Q&As, make short videos like “day-in-the-life” stuff—that’s what seems to stick. But you’ve gotta stay authentic or people can sniff out fake engagement a mile away.

Eric Marquette

It does require a bit of trial and error, doesn’t it? Finding your voice online is sometimes more about listening than speaking. When people see you genuinely interacting, not just broadcasting, it builds trust faster than a brochure ever could.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, and look—everyone’s learning as they go, right? Which brings us to training. There are loads of passionate advocates, but not all of them had media training or know the ins and outs of adaptive communication. Investing in those skills makes a massive difference. Workshops, peer mentoring—even just testing messages with different audience groups, that feedback is gold.

Eric Marquette

Couldn’t agree more. Actually, it reminds me—and sorry if I’ve told this story before—when we were launching an early episode of Beyond the Label, we thought the edit was tight, super impactful. But then feedback started rolling in, especially from listeners who use screen readers. Turns out, we had a bunch of sound effects and overlapping audio that made it impossible for them to follow. We had to go back—scrap and rebuild half the episode. Painful, but worth it.

Ruby Sturt

Totally worth it. And honestly, even with social media—advocates now are proper data nerds. They’re checking what posts work, if people are actually clicking links, where folks drop off. If it’s not working, they change it up. It’s all about keeping an eye on what’s working and what’s not, then getting better each time.

Eric Marquette

You don’t need to be perfect right away. The key is to keep adapting, ask for feedback—especially from people actually experiencing the disability or issue you’re focused on—and loop that into your next step. Continuous improvement, just like we talked about when discussing family resilience or inclusive classrooms. It’s all connected.

Ruby Sturt

Yeah, so wherever you are in your advocacy journey, don’t stress about not knowing everything from day one—just keep listening, keep tweaking, and don’t be afraid to amplify new voices. That’s how change sticks.

Eric Marquette

Well, that’s about all for today’s episode of Beyond the Label. Ruby, as always, thanks for sharing your stories and insights. And cheers to everyone listening—catch us next time as we tackle even more ways to drive impact. Look after yourselves.

Ruby Sturt

Thanks, Eric, and thanks everyone for tuning in. See you all next episode!