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How the need for plain language in everyday documents is essential for promoting democracy across populations with different levels of ability.
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Mark Starford Board Resource Center, USA
Plain Language for Democracy and Citizenship
Cathy Basterfield Access Easy English, Australia
Presentation abstract available: [email protected]
Our Presentation
Basic Rights Challenges
and Strategies Literacy
Data
Increased • Life quality • Participation
Healthcare
Employment Finances
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) United Nations Treaty, 2006
Key Principles • Equal opportunity • Full participation and inclusion in society • Disability accepted as a part of human diversity • Accessibility (community, information)
• Greater access to community life
• Public information in easy read format and Braille
• Access to technology
• Qualified support to get important information
Article 9 – Accessibility
CRPD Key Articles
Article 12 – Equal recognition under the law
• Abuse prevention
• Own or inherit property
• Control financial affairs
• Legal safeguards
CRPD Key Articles
Article 29 – Participation in political life • Voting procedures and facilities accessible
• Materials easy to understand and use
• Secret ballot with support
• Hold office
United Nations Treaty, 2006
Living the Treaty
Article 9: Access to information and technology
Article 12: Same rights under the law
Article 11: Protection in risky situations
Article 7: Children treated equally
Article 27: Work, equal job rights and pay
Article 19: Being part of the community
Australia Channel 7, Melbourne Australia June 5, 2013
http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/latest/article/-/17489370/adult-illiteracy/
United States
American Illiteracy YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LghnA2XbuU
Who are we talking about?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Australia2006
Australia2013
USA 2006 USA 2013
non functional literacyfunctional literacy
% adults 15-74 yrs.
Australia and USA literacy data 2006 and 2013
Literacy data from OECD countries 2006
% adults 15-74 yrs
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
non functional literacyfunctional literacy
Snapshot
More likely to:
Live in poverty, underemployed
Have poor health
Be involved in the justice system
Be less engaged in community life
Data Reveals
Who are we talking about?
People: Seniors
Diverse cultural backgrounds
Poor educational outcomes
Acquired and lifelong disabilities
Hearing impaired community
Mental and physical illness
Also people who are:
Stressed
Caregivers
Low comprehension readers
Who are we talking about?
About Mary
Crafts & activity groups Church & activities
lecturer
Outer suburban semi-rural
Volunteer Committee member
Massive stroke January 2012
Mary
Age 65 wife, mother, grandmother
Attention and concentration Tiredness Reading and understanding Medical knowledge and terminology Understanding health related costs Rehabilitation choices & home modifications Initial stroke phase and later needs Husband’s lack of medical knowledge, stressed
About Mary
Some written materials
Useful
Our dream for Mary
Now &
Later
$$ Financial information Rehabilitation
choices and options
Emergency information
Exercise and rehab
program
Leisure access options
Information for husband –the care giver
New life together Expectations and changes
New medical status and
risks
About Karen
Lives alone Has support: 4 hours week
Karen
Age 45 single mother Supportive
extended family
No use of technology
Mild intellectual and other disabilities
Limited education
General knowledge limited to life experience
Functional reading (bills, simple recipes)
Limited community connections
Support required to use government services
About Karen
Health information Preventative and medicines
Government Entitlements Housing, pension, child support
Employment Resources
Civic participation Voting and community engagement Leisure activities Financial management General knowledge
Karen’s needs - some
Some needs are now met ...Medical
Consent forms
Preventative information
0
Some needs are now met ...Government
Dad and Partner pay brochure
But lots of reports......
0
Some needs are now met ...Employment
Safety at work
0
Some needs are now met ...Civic participation
Victorian Election 2012
Survey
Relationships
0
Some needs are now met ...Safety
Red Cross - International
NSW police safety fact sheets
NSW Police
0
Our dream for Karen Easy read materials:
Now and later
Bills Future planning - money
Newspapers & magazines
Websites
Rights & laws
Government information
About David
Age 32 Single
David
High school
Bilingual
Urban Lives with parents at
home
Activist-Advocate
About David
Interested in civil rights and advocacy Limited literacy in English and Spanish Mild developmental impairment Never employed – government entitlements Family provides care support
About David
Board member – large case management agency
Chair, peer advocacy council
Represents over 10,000 peers
Limited “facilitation” support for advocacy positions
Never received leadership or governance training
David WANTS!
• Official board meeting structure modified
• Meeting materials adapted in Easy Read
• Governance training he understands and can use
• Qualified “meeting facilitation” support: before – during - after
• Information in ways he can use so he can be a meaningful change agent!
Some needs are met
http://www.brcenter.org/BRC_Board_Training/publications.shtml
FOR AGENCIES: Accessible meeting organization handbook
FOR FACILITATORS Training manual
FOR MIGUEL: Online governance training
About Cathy
Cathy
Age 63 Mother
Limited education
Activist-Advocate
Physical challenges
Fixed Income
About Cathy
Not employed – government entitlement
Lives at (below) the poverty level
Has significant debt - “payday loan” scheme
Hides her personal financial crisis
Has a support person who does not know how to help Cathy manage her money
Does not understand tax procedures and forms
Learn how loans work
learn how to budget her money
Learn about how “Payday loans” work
Begin future planning
Have competent support staff
Go on a vacation next year
Cathy Wants to:
Some needs being met
Money management Decision making process
Support team –getting trained
Learning about Payday interest
Think about an agency that serves people with low literacy.
Record ideas about what they can do to make documents more accessible.
Share with the person next to you.
Opportunities
Challenges
What do you believe are the barriers for agencies to make documents accessible to people with low literacy?
Share with person next to you.
The silent % of those with low literacy
Social inclusion and participation
Opportunities for employment
Civic engagement
The message Plain Language for Democracy and Citizenship
Cathy Basterfield Access Easy English, Australia
Mark Starford Board Resource Center, USA
