Words that Welcome – Inclusive Communication
Two New On-Demand Workshops
The Easy Read Toolbox is excited to share that we are creating two new on-demand workshops, thanks to an ACT Disability Inclusion Grant. The workshops will help us shine a light on the importance of communication accessibility. Martina Johnson has joined the Easy Read team to get the project up and running. These workshops will help change how the ACT community thinks about information sharing and how to make communication inclusive and accessible for everyone.
Did you know 44% of Australians read at primary school level or below? That means the benefits of inclusive communication and accessible communication support many people including people with disabilities, people who speak different languages, and people with different levels of literacy as well as Neurodivergent people, people with vision issues and those with dementia. At The Easy Read Toolbox, we believe everyone has the right to equal access to information.
The first workshop, Introduction to Accessible Communication, will provide practical advice for employers, businesses, organisations, and individuals to better include people who are not confident readers. It will explain different types of accessible communication including Plain English, Easy English and Easy Read. It will also look at how to remove barriers when communicating with people with disability.
The second workshop, Introduction to Easy Read, will explore why accessible formats matter and how they help. It will cover how to use the Easy Read format to create documents that more people can understand and the benefits in doing so.
What makes these workshops important is the inclusive way they’re being made. People with disability are helping shape the content from the start, sharing real experiences. Once the pilot workshops are ready to run in the ACT, we’ll engage more people with disability for feedback to make sure the final workshops are useful and relevant.
Another key feature of the workshops is that people with disability will write and deliver them. This isn’t just about having their voices heard, it’s about recognising their expertise. We recognise that people who face barriers every day are the best ones to teach others how to break them down.
Because the workshops are on-demand, people can access them anytime, from anywhere. This flexibility helps more people learn and helps build a culture where equal access for all is better understood. The resources we’re building are designed with you in mind, and with accessibility at the centre.
We’ll share more as the workshops develop. If you’re part of an organisation that wants to improve inclusion, or just want to learn more, stay tuned!
- Martina Johnson
