Ability Options completes Easy English publications

Ability Options, a service provider based in NSW, has recently completed 3 important documents in Easy English with Access Easy English

They are 3 important documents which put the person at the centre of intervention, and will make a substantial difference for the many people who they work with, who have non functional literacy.

The 3 documents are 

- Consent to share information;

- Consent to receive services;

- Feedback and complaints.

This is the beginning of their journey with Easy English. I look forward to the next phase of Easy English development with Ability Options. 

Contact me for further details or to request a quote to begin your own journey introducing Easy English to your organisation.

Cathy

Cathy Basterfield

Access Easy English

Consultant – Speech Pathologist
Telephone: 0466 579 855
Email: cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au

Website: www.accesseasyenglish.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accesseasyenglish (our recent projects)

Twitter: @accesseasyengli 

Ability Options .. from their website..

Our services are grouped into four main divisions -

Accommodation & Supported Living, Employment

Services, Community & Lifestyle and National

Disability Insurance Services (NDIS).

Ability Options is a strong and vibrant organisation

with over 700 people currently working across all

of our divisions. Our Head Office is in Bella Vista

in Sydney and we have 17 sites across north and

western Sydney, 4 on the Central coast and an office

 in Charlestown in the Hunter Region.

Senate enquiry into prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders

Did you know....

the Australian Federal Government is currently running a Senate enquiry into the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia . You can go to this link to read any of 145 public submissions made to the enquiry.  The submission date has closed.

Many are personal stories, others are from advocacy groups, and others from Speech Pathologists and organisations or departments who employ Speech Pathologists.  Speech Pathology Australia has submitted a significant paper. It does comment upon the need for Easy English and includes recommendations for the development of Easy English by government, community and private sectors.

Significantly, many submissions talk about Communication being a Human Right. With this as a basis, access to services appropriate to needs should also be there.  Read more at the UN Convention on the Rights of Person with a Disability, 2006 the Victorian Government Communication Access Policy, 2006 and the article Applying the World Report on Disability to children’s communication, 2013 .

What and who are Speech Pathologists?

Speech pathologists are university educated professionals with specific knowledge and expertise in all areas of speech, language, communication and swallowing. Speech pathologists work with
infants, children, adolescents and adults with communication and/or swallowing disabilities in the
public and private sectors, across health, education, disability, community, mental health, youth
justice and aged care systems. Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) is the national peak body for speech pathologists in Australia,representing over 6,000 members. 

(Submission to the Senate enquiry into the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia, Speech Pathology Australia, 2014)

 

As the call for submissions has been done via information on the internet, and in complex form, there has been no capacity for people with non-functional literacy to also include their stories or recommendations.

Without Easy English significant percentages of the Australian population are unable to contribute to information flow to and from the government. How do we get this critical information in a form that more people can see, read and consider either submitting briefs or reading about the recommendations.

All projects need to plan for Easy English in their initial phase.  Time needs to be allocated to allow this to be developed appropriately.  People with low literacy also need more time to develop their responses.  Some maybe in written form. but others may use a YouTube or video clip.

Talk to Cathy about how to plan for your critical information and projects to be developed into Easy English.

Cathy 

cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au
0466 579 855

DisabilityCare

DisabilityCare Australia is the national disability insurance scheme - a new way of providing community linking and individualised support for people with permanent and significant disability, their families and carers.http://www.disabilitycareaustralia.gov.au/

Cathy is now a registered provider for DisabilityCare Australia. Talk to your case manager about  how to use the services of Access Easy English for training, assessment or implementation for communication or access to written information in a way you can understand, i.e. Easy English. Easy English  you may need,  could be written information for you to more meaningfully participate in your meetings to decide on your plan, or the plan that is developed, or other reports, brochures and information you need to make meaningful decisions for linking to your community.

Cathy  cathy@accesseasyenglish.com.au  0466 579 855