Pavel Birger
Writer, editor, content creator, accessibility enthusiast
With 10+ years of experience in writing and editing, I will give your product a friendly and distinctive voice that resonates with your audience. My goal is to make users of all ages, interests, and abilities feel welcome.
Work experience
New Holland Island
Head of Content
2017 – present
- New Holland Island is an internationally known (Le Monde, Wallpaper, The Guardian) public space and cultural hub housed within a repurposed naval base. I create and edit all written media for the project, from the website to navigational signs, making sure the project has a friendly and easy-to-understand tone of voice, both in Russian and English. I also serve as the project’s public speaker.
- I have implemented an accessibility programme (see accessibility section below) which provides for sign language guided tours for Deaf visitors, tactile maps for blind visitors and high-contrast large font maps for the visually impaired. We have also introduced online accessibility guides, call buttons and ramps, and accessibility training for staff.
- I have launched the project’s web store and a dedicated website for the project's commercial residents, for which I communicated with design agencies, wrote technical specifications, oversaw deadlines and created the content.
Apparat.cc
Editor-in-Chief
2012–2013
- Oversaw the launch and first year of operations of an online magazine about technology, the internet and contemporary culture.
- Created the editorial statement, agenda, tone of voice, sections and regular columns, and managed the activities of freelance writers, designers and developers to ensure a stable daily flow of publications and a consistent, unique visual style.
GQ.ru (Condé Nast)
Fashion Editor
2012–2017
- Covered the daily fashion news desk and wrote featured articles on culture, cinema, menswear, personal style, watches, automobiles, and luxury lifestyle.
Various Publications
Freelance journalist
2012–2017
- Published numerous articles covering a wide range of topics, including science, technology, medicine, urban development, mobile apps, culture, fashion, video games, history and local news.
Education
Saint Petersburg State University
2006–2011
Faculty of Philosophy
Graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy specialising in Philosophical Anthropology and Philosophy of Science.
Courses, skills and interests
Courses: An Introduction to Accessibility and Inclusive Design at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Introduction to Web Accessibility at World Wide Web Consortium, Writing accessible content for the web and Accessible design, the basics at A11Y Collective
Skills: content creation, communication, editing, problem solving, research, accessibility awareness
Languages: English (full proficiency), Russian (native)
Interests: house plants, bicycles, coffee, thrift stores, bird watching, photography
Accessibility work
RSL guided tours
Launched Russian Sign Language guided tours of New Holland Island in collaboration with an educational centre for the Deaf. I created the historical curriculum and script for the tour, and evaluated and certified Deaf guides with the assistance of a sign language interpreter.
Accessibility evaluation
Working in collaboration with a group of disabled experts, I evaluated existing accessibility measures at New Holland Island and implemented significant, cost-effective fixes: high visibility call buttons, Braille elevator buttons, disabled toilet crutch hooks, and new ramps.
Tactile Maps and High Contrast Handouts
Working together with the Design Department and the Saint Petersburg Library for the Blind, I produced tactile venue maps with Braille text for blind visitors and easy-to-read handout leaflets with increased contrast and large fonts for the visually impaired, elderly, and anyone who forgot their reading glasses.
Easy read guides
Working in collaboration with a centre for autistic people, I developed easy read guides with simple language and illustrations to help visitors with autism and learning disabilities familiarise themselves with New Holland Island.
Online accessibility guide
Following the ‘accessibility starts online’ principle, I launched a regularly updated page highlighting all the accessible and inaccessible aspects of New Holland Island to help disabled people make an informed decision about their visit.