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VoiceBridge Australia

Empowering elderly immigrants through human-centered service design

Project Meta

Location

Australia

Role

Lead Service Designer

Focus

Persian-speaking

Status

Elderly Pilot Ready

Context & Challenge

Many elderly immigrants in Australia struggle with isolation due to language barriers, limited digital literacy, and low awareness of existing support services. For non-English-speaking seniors in particular, this often results in an over-reliance on family members for translation, navigation, and access to essential services, affecting their independence and dignity.

80%

Increased Confidence in Testing

100%

Human-Led Interactions

0

Digital Skills Required

Research & Insights

I conducted in-depth interviews, concept testing, and co-design workshops with Persian-speaking elders, as well as secondary research into Australia's aged care and community support systems.

Trust is Critical

Seniors prefer human-led interactions over fully digital solutions. Technology without human connection creates more anxiety than support.

Family Dependency

Reliance on children or relatives for everything creates pressure on both sides and reduces autonomy for seniors.

Awareness Gap

Many were completely unaware of services already available to them through government and community organizations.

Multiple Barriers

Language, technology, and cultural unfamiliarity compound to create overwhelming obstacles to accessing support.

Design Approach

I applied a comprehensive service design methodology across multiple stages to ensure the solution addressed real needs with cultural sensitivity:

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  • Journey Mapping: Documented current service access experiences to uncover pain points and emotional barriers at each stage

  • Service Blueprinting: Mapped interactions between elders, interpreters, and service providers to identify gaps in the system

  • Prototyping: Developed low-fidelity concepts, tested usability with participants, and iterated to high-fidelity pilot designs

  • Testing with Participants: Validated desirability, trust, and usability of the service through hands-on testing sessions

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Proposed Solution

VoiceBridge Australia is a multilingual phone and digital support service designed to reduce isolation and empower elderly migrants through human connection and practical support.

On-Demand Interpreters

s Human interpreters available for service navigation, providing trust and cultural understanding.

Direct Connection

Links seniors directly to government and community resources without complex navigation.

Simple Entry Points

Phone-first access with no digital literacy required — designed for accessibility over technology.s.

Cultural Sensitivity

​Designed with trust, simplicity, and respect for cultural context at its core.

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Impact & Outcomes

  • 80% of participants in usability testing reported increased confidence accessing services independently

  • Participants described the service as "reliable," "clear," and "less stressful" than relying on family

  • Service providers saw potential to reduce waiting times and improve multicultural access

  • Built with human connection first — technology as enabler, not barrier

My Role & Contribution

I led the end-to-end service design process from research through to pilot planning:

Research Leadership

Conducted qualitative research with Persian-speaking elders and synthesized insights into actionable design principles.

Service Design Tools

Created comprehensive journey maps and service blueprints to visualize the system and identify opportunities.

Co-Design Facilitation

Led collaborative workshops with elders to ensure solutions reflected their lived experiences and needs.

Prototyping & Testing

Developed prototypes and led usability testing sessions to validate concepts and iterate based on feedback.

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Recognition & Validation

My mentor at Academy Xi praised the project for its authenticity, noting: "You got the project very real with real statistics and reliable documents." This validation reinforced the importance of grounded research and evidence-based design in creating meaningful solutions.

Next Steps

VoiceBridge has strong potential to expand beyond the Persian community and serve broader multicultural groups across
Australia. Future development includes:

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  • Piloting with community organizations to test real-world implementation

  • Exploring government partnerships for sustainable, long-term funding

  • Expanding language support to other immigrant communities facing similar barriers

  • Measuring impact through ongoing feedback and service metrics
     

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