Getting started with your accessibility journey in 2026

Raquel Garrido-Soriano from Visionary shares her personal journey into the sight loss sector and reflects on how embedding accessibility as a core, evolving practice through small, practical steps can create genuinely inclusive documents, conversations and organisations.

Hi, I’m Raquel Garrido-Soriano, I’m the Membership Engagement and Support Coordinator at Visionary. My journey within the sight loss sector began over three years ago, driven by a personal desire to align my professional life with my values and purpose, changing from my finance and investment background into the charity sector.

Although still a novice, I would like to share my accessibility journey with you, I will share some of my experience with Visionary and what we found works for our members and partners. Perhaps you may recognise some of your own feelings in my words, or maybe they will offer a few helpful insights. In my previous professional roles, accessibility was often forgotten and viewed simply as a matter of compliance or a potential business opportunity, with limited focus on equality and fairness. Over time, I have learned what a vital role accessibility plays and how valued it is. My hope is to continue contributing to a culture where accessibility is no longer treated as an add-on but becomes so naturally integrated that it is simply an inherent part of every document and every process.

At our Visionary Annual Conference 2025, accessibility was one of the most meaningful themes, inspiring many conversations. Hearing directly from delegates with lived experience was a powerful reminder of how important accessible documents truly are. Embedding accessibility into the core strategy of every organisation is vital; it ensures equal opportunities and gives everyone the same foundation from which to take part in discussions. When accessibility is embraced, no one is left behind, everyone is included!

Accessibility as an evolving practice

Accessibility is not a fixed destination but a living, evolving practice, especially in the age of AI. Alongside established guidance, it is essential to listen with care to people’s individual experiences and to value their feedback as we work to make our materials genuinely accessible.

Starting small and avoiding perfectionism

And please don’t panic…perfection is not expected, especially at the start. Try not to put pressure on yourself to get everything perfect the first time. Small, simple changes can make a significant difference. For instance, begin by checking whether your documents contain unnecessary visual background ‘noise’. Removing decorative images can make things clearer. Where images are needed, adding thoughtful Alt Text descriptions helps make digital documents, presentations, social media posts, and websites accessible for blind and partially sighted people. A useful tip is to describe not only what is in the image, but also the context (even the emotion where relevant).

One message that really stayed with me from a speaker at this year’s conference was this: when trying to reach young people through digital channels, don’t be afraid to start where you are. Share what you can, with the level of accessibility you’re currently able to provide and improve step by step. Beginning the journey is far better than holding back until everything is perfect.

Using clear and logical structures

Using a plain, clear and logical structure is key. This helps screen readers interpret content accurately without getting lost in symbols or complex formatting. If you use the latest versions of Microsoft Word, the built-in accessibility checker can offer helpful suggestions to guide you further.

Another important area to consider is colour contrast. Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background can remove barriers for people with sight loss or colour vision deficiency. It’s a straightforward change that greatly improves readability.

Always review and improve

I encourage you to take a fresh look at the documents you’ve created or are working on. See what small, practical accessibility adjustments you can make, and share your discoveries with colleagues. Keep the conversation about accessibility alive within your organisation. Together, we can build our collective understanding and ensure no reader is ever left out!

Simple first steps

Take the first step to make your organisation more accessible with these simple changes: Alt text descriptions, colour contrast, and easy structures. I invite you to explore what works for you and your organisation. There are multiple ways to create accessible information, find the way that keeps accessibility as part of your core!

If you want to know more about creating accessible documents, please do get in touch with us and we can introduce you to Visionary members who offer this support, email: [email protected]. If you would like to learn more about the work of Visionary, please visit www.visionary.org.uk.