Free resource
Rebuilding
With Care
A free guide for purpose-driven organisations considering a website refresh or rebuild
We wrote this for community organisations, legal centres, and advocacy groups in Sydney who are navigating a digital rebuild. It covers trauma-informed design, accessibility, content strategy, and how to choose a digital partner who understands your mission — not just your brief.
No sign-up required. Just the guide.
Written by Marzipan · Sydney · 2026 · WCAG 2.1 AA referenced throughout
Five parts
What’s inside
A plain-language guide structured around the decisions that matter most — in the order you’ll need to make them.
Before You Begin
Strategy before aesthetics. What "trauma-informed" actually means in a digital context — and why starting with a brief instead of a template makes all the difference.
Design That Serves Your Community
Accessibility, WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, and human-centred design in practice. Why accessible design isn't a compliance checkbox — it's the baseline for serving people in moments of need.
Content and Language
Writing for the person who is struggling. Plain-English content principles, safety planning features, and language that doesn't exclude the communities you exist to support.
Technical Foundations
Performance, security, and the honest case for (and against) AI tools. What your organisation actually needs — and what vendors will try to upsell you.
Working with a Digital Partner
What to look for beyond the portfolio. The stewardship model, procurement red flags, and the questions worth asking before anyone touches your systems.
Who this is for
Built for people holding the weight of this decision
This guide is for staff at organisations serving communities in moments of stress or disadvantage — where the stakes of getting the digital experience wrong are real.
Executive Directors
Weighing the investment and risk of a digital rebuild, and needing a framework to evaluate proposals and partners.
Communications Managers
Responsible for the website, often without a technical background — and tired of being sold solutions that don't fit.
Operations Staff
Holding the day-to-day reality of systems that don't work, and needing language to make the case for change internally.
After reading
You’ll be equipped to
- Evaluate a digital brief or RFP against accessibility and trauma-informed standards
- Identify whether your organisation is ready to rebuild — or needs a Diagnosis first
- Ask the right questions when shortlisting digital agencies
- Understand what WCAG 2.1 AA means in practice for your community
- Build an internal business case that speaks to boards, funders, and leadership
Ready to read it?
Download the full guide — free, no form, no newsletter.
Download the Guide (Free)No sign-up required. Just the guide.
Ready to talk about your rebuild?
Start with a Digital Capacity Diagnosis