There is community in communication
Inclusion London: Weeknotes 3, by Jumoke Abdullahi
After lots of promotion and conversations with On Our Radar (OOR) and Deaf and Disabled Person-led Organisations (DDPOs) we were getting somewhere. I had been able to check in with OOR and see what options were available for the training and coaching of the participating staff and volunteers from the organisations.
It was very important to us to have the inclusion of voices and experiences outside of the capital. So often, the singular narrative from London is used as the barometer by which all things are measured. This also includes the needs of Disabled people. It was a big plus for us to be able to work with them to capture the nuances found in experiences outside of the city.
On Our Radar had worked on creating miniature modules like the ones featured in the image above. As Inclusion London is a Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation and we work to support other DDPOs in ensuring that the communities they seek to serve are well informed.
Often times Disabled people are spoken for, on behalf of, and over. This Catalyst project was an opportunity for us to combine the knowledge and expertise of the practitioners with the lived experience and wisdom of this frequently marginalised group.
From the beginning and throughout, the access needs of the participants was at the forefront. We considered subtitles, Easy Read formats, ALT text for images and working with British Sign Language interpreters in order to reach a wide an audience as possible. Many opportunities for communication and community are lost simply because they are being presented in the wrong way. True inclusivity must incorporate the different modes of language and that is exactly what we are working towards on this project and beyond.
