Inclusion — sport and community participation. What has Easy English got to do with it?
On May 30, I had a chance to check out the ATSA Independent Living Expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre. This was an expo about assistive technologies and organisations that help people live an independent life.
My favourite part was definitely the Sports Zone. I got to try my hand at boccia, watch a wheelchair pickleball demonstration, have a look at some para-ice hockey equipment, and meet lots of people who are passionate about inclusive sport.
At Access Easy English, we often hear from people that they wish they could read about sport in Easy English. For example:
· the rules to play a sport or a new sport
· where they can play — like where is the oval, or where can they find a team to join?
· other ways to get involved — like how can they volunteer, or learn to be an umpire?
· when and where can they watch a game, and how can they buy a ticket?
· stories about players
· news about their favourite team.
But
It is extremely difficult to get involved in sport, even inclusive sport, if you have low literacy. A sport may have a disability league, or a team open to all people — but how do people find out about it? Is the information easy to find and easy to read? Or is it hidden away on a website somewhere?
How can people join your sport? If they have to fill out a form online, this is not accessible to people with low literacy (44% of adults) and people who are digitally excluded (1 in 4 people in Australia).
To use your website, people need to have access to an internet-connected device, they have to know how to use Google and the right words to put in the search bar, and they need to have the skills to skim read all the listings to find your sport or organisation. Once they find what they think is your website, they need to navigate and read the text until they find the details they need. Only 2 in 5 Australians can do this well.
You need hard copy Easy English information in the places where people go, like the library, community centres, local shopping complexes, council buildings, or disability, rehabilitation and older citizens services. It’s also very valuable to have a phone number. Without a contact phone number on your printed copy, people have to try to go through your website to find the right number to call. We’re right back to square one.
How do people know the rules to play or learn the basci skills to participate? You may want to start playing footy with your friends, but you do not know how to play. You may want to join a team, but you worry about being the only one who does not know the rules. A lot of people (myself included!) find it difficult to keep the rules straight in our heads and may need to refer to the rules frequently. Think about a person with dementia, who may not remember what they learned last time. Why not write up the rules in Easy English, so everyone can understand how to play?
Sport needs to include people with physical disabilities. Sport also needs to include people with intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions, dementia, Autism, ADHD, people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, people with aphasia, people who have had a brain injury, and many other people who may need Easy English information. It may be you have a physical disability, and you have low literacy. You may be from another country, or you were an early school leaver.
If your inclusive sport or leisure group has no information for people with low literacy, you are not including all people.
Check out some examples of our work in the leisure space.
- ABC. Our plan. 2023 to 2028
- Merri-bek Art Show. 2023
- Lets move in Nillumbik. Plan 2022 to 2030
- Parks Victoria — Our disability plan. 2022 to 2026
- City of Parramatta. Newsletter. Spring 2021 & Summer Autumn 2022
- Special Olympics Australia — Risk waiver.
Content is also the small parts of welcoming someone to your sport. It may be a registration form, or people to contact or where and when the home games are. It may be the roles and responsabilities of players, umpires, parents and spectators. So much to include.
Are you a sport or leisure organisation? We would love to help you develop your information to Easy English. You will be able to reach more people, gain more members and make people with low literacy feel welcome.
Sierra Morabito
Specialist content writer
Email: sierra@accesseasyenglish.com.au
Access Easy English
Office phone: 0466 579 855
Email: cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au:
Website: https://accesseasyenglish.com.au/ & www.readeee.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accesseasyenglish
LinkedIn: Cathy Basterfield & Access Easy English
Twitter: @accesseasyengli
