Tyneside and Northumberland Mind are leading the way in making mental health support more accessible and inclusive with assistive technology. In 2021, they started working with Recite Me after powerful real-life experiences from their community highlighted a critical truth: their website was a digital front door to vital mental health support.
This Mental Health Awareness Week (12th- 18th May 2025), we are raising awareness of the importance of working towards good mental health. This year’s theme is ‘Community’, where we highlight the significance of being part of a safe and positive community for our mental health and well-being.
A Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Tyneside and Northumberland Mind started their journey to greater digital accessibility with a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Real experiences from their local community deeply influenced this. During a lived experience workshop, clients shared the challenges they faced accessing support in a rapidly evolving digital world.
“One participant who was both deaf and blind shared his story with our team using a specialist interpreter. His experience powerfully illustrated the barriers individuals encounter when trying to navigate digital platforms for support. It was a clear message: we needed to do more to make our services accessible to everyone, and so we did!”
Shamara Mohsin, Communications & Marketing Manager, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind
Empowering Diverse Communities with the Recite Me Toolbar
In response to these powerful stories, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind set out to transform their digital presence into a welcoming, accessible front door for anyone seeking support. As part of a broader rebranding and website redevelopment project, they chose Recite Me as their assistive technology partner.
By integrating the Recite Me Toolbar, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind has removed barriers for visitors with disabilities, visual impairments, and those who speak English as a second language.
“In the Northeast, our communities are diverse and represent a wide range of cultures, languages, and lived experiences. We were working with these unrepresented groups to understand what we could do to make our services easier to access and use. Recite Me stood out as a partner that could help Tyneside and Northumberland Mind address these challenges.”
Shamara Mohsin, Communications & Marketing Manager, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind
The Recite Me toolbar equips users with a range of features, including text-to-speech functionality, multiple reading aids, customisable text and colour settings and a on-demand translation tool.
A Cultural Shift in the Digital Space
Since implementing Recite Me, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind have seen a clear shift in not only how people interact with their website, but also in how they think about accessibility.
“We now have a tool we’re proud to share, one that allows us to confidently direct people from marginalised communities to our website, knowing they can use and empower them with essential mental health resources and network support.”
Shamara Mohsin, Communications & Marketing Manager, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind
Beyond this, data and feedback from users have presented greater opportunities for them to evolve as an organisation. Tyneside and Northumberland Mind discovered that much of the language used across its website was complex and inaccessible, with a reading age far above what many users needed. This has prompted a larger internal review of how they communicate, working alongside clients to understand what’s working and what further improvements can be made to ensure they are growing as a key provider of mental health support in Tyneside and Northumberland.
“Recite Me hasn’t just enhanced accessibility—it’s sparked a much-needed cultural shift in how we think about inclusion in the digital space.”
Shamara Mohsin, Communications & Marketing Manager, Tyneside and Northumberland Mind
Ready to Transform Your Website?
Tyneside and Northumberland Mind’s success shows how assistive technology can make a real difference in creating a more inclusive digital environment. By adding tools like Recite Me, your organisation can create a seamless user experience.
Are you interested in creating an inclusive online experience for all your customers? Reach out to Recite Me today to find out how we can help you create an environment where all visitors are valued and welcomed.
Kickstart your accessibility journey with Recite Me
Act today to ensure your website is accessible and compliant with the latest WCAG standards. Get started on your website accessibility strategy by working through the following action points:
- Contact our team for more advice about WCAG standards and Accessibility best practices.
- Find out more about the Recite Me Web Accessibility Checker.
- Schedule a free demonstration to learn how our technology can help you.
- Run a free scan of your website for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.
- Try our assistive toolbar on your website.
