My Blue Sky

UX &UI | National Forced Marriage Service

Client

Launched in December 2015, My Blue Sky is Australia's dedicated forced marriage portal providing information, support and legal advice to people in or at risk of forced marriages. My Blue Sky is managed by Anti-Slavery Australia, a legal, research and policy centre at the University of Technology Sydney.

Anti-Slavery Australia have over 20 years of experience providing free legal and migration support to people experiencing forced marriage and other forms of modern slavery in Australia. They also focus on real-world research with high impact, and create leading educational and training programs.

Project Outcome

The revised My Blue Sky website includes the following new features:

• private web access with safe exit feature,

• quiz to help users understand if they are in a forced marriage or at risk (in development),

• frontline workers guidebook (an educational resource), and

• secure and confidential message platform for users to get free legal advice.

UX Insights

• Illustrations of marriage and relationships is more appropriate as photos can be triggering to those at risk or experiencing forced marriage.

• Young people are not familiar with the term forced marriage and find it hard to define or understand their unique situation and need guidance.

• Reading stories in first person helps young people not to feel alone in their situation.

Project Summary

The My Blue Sky website was revised in consultation with young people with lived experience of forced marriage, experts in the field and frontline workers with the goal of:

• offering targeted messaging to help young people at risk or experiencing forced marriage,

• providing user friendly navigation to different user groups,

• hosting information to educate frontline workers and friends and family of those at risk, and

• providing a secure and confidential communication methods.

A participatory approach strived for the genuine inclusion of diverse experiences and perspectives. Recognising the complexities and misconceptions around forced marriage in particular, and addressing these through meaningful engagement with young people, communities and others whose voices are often excluded from these conversations.