Who are you and what is your role with Tetra Tech?
My name is Ruth Javati, I am from Papua New Guinea, I have an acquired disability – I use a wheelchair. I love advocating for equitable and equal inclusive services for people with disability. I share my lived experience to broaden and enhance the understanding of my work colleges and development change agents as to how to be more inclusive of people with disability especially women with disability. I am so very grateful to my family for their continuous love and support, especially my mum, who has helped me to be more vocal about equitable and equal inclusive services for people with disability.
As part of my studies, I am on Workplace Placement with Tetra Tech International Development, Asia-Pacific. I am on an Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS), based in Brisbane studying a Bachelor of Human Services at Queensland University of Technology. In my current role with Tetra Tech International Development, I work part-time as the Inclusion, Justice, and Transformation Practice’s Disability Inclusion Advisor. I support bid development teams, programs, and head office to be more disability-inclusive through advice, training, and tools development.
Why did you choose to work with Tetra Tech?
I have always wanted to work in the gender equality, disability, and social inclusion space. A place where I can share my lived experience and make changes, especially for more inclusion for women with disability in International non-governmental organisation (INGO) run projects and programs. I am now doing that and I love it.
Tetra Tech made reasonable accommodations available to accommodate my needs to work effectively and efficiently. I have a flexible work schedule, a supportive supervisor and team. My workmates are appreciative of me sharing my lived experience to broaden understandings on how to be more inclusive of people with disability.
Tetra Tech’s purpose is thriving people, communities, planet. We work with people and communities to create a positive impact. In your current role, how do you create a positive impact?
Before working with Tetra Tech, I had seen and heard of a lot of projects run by INGOs in my country where women with disability are not included. As a current employee of Tetra Tech, I am now sharing my lived experience and providing ideas about how to include women with disability in projects or programs. As part of this work, I’ve created a Disability Inclusion Manual for Tetra Tech Staff to use as a tool when working with or providing services for people with disability.
Ruth has contributed her insight and expertise through the global Tetra Tech Disability-Focused Employee Resource Group (ERG). Aligning with International Month of Persons with a Disability, Ruth will be presenting on ‘Disability Inclusion’ to the Tetra Tech Global Development Services, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Group, on December 14th 2022. She soon hopes to Launch the Disability Inclusion Manual she has developed as part of her study program professional placement at Tetra Tech’s Inclusion, Justice, and Transformation Practice, supervised by Dr Ann-Maree Nobelius.
