Beyond A London Postcode, Why Your Easy Read Needs A Multi-Layered Voice
Millions of lives intersect in London every day, as Londoners and visitors find their way around this busy metropolis.
For London's authorities and organisations, making information accessible is not just a regulatory necessity; it's a fundamental part of connecting with this vibrant, diverse community.
You may already be using Easy Read to make your documents clearer, but what if your good intentions are falling short? What if the expertise behind your accessibility efforts doesn't reflect the full, complex reality of the Londoners you're trying to reach?
The Challenge of Triple-Layered Context
An effective Easy Read document must work on multiple levels. It must be clear for individuals with cognitive challenges. It must be relatable and relevant to the local environment. And in a city as diverse as London, it must also be easy to understand for English speakers of other languages (ESOL).
The truth is, a generic accessibility review won't account for these complexities. A single approach can't address the unique combination of cognitive, linguistic, and regional barriers that Londoners face every day. This gap between generic and multi-layered expertise is where accessibility can lose its power.
The IC Works London Advantage: Expertise from Every Angle
At IC Works, we understand that true accessibility is not one-size-fits-all. Our expert panel brings a powerful, three-dimensional perspective to every project. While not all of our experts come from London, they all bring a combination of the following lived experiences:
Lived Experience of Cognitive Challenges: This is the foundation of our work. Our experts know firsthand what it's like to struggle with dense text, complex concepts, and confusing layouts. They can spot ambiguities and communication barriers that are invisible to a neurotypical eye.
Lived Experience of London Life: A crucial asset for our London-based clients. Our experts draw upon their own personal experiences of navigating this city, its public transport, its services, and its communities. They ensure that the words and pictures we use reflect the authentic reality of daily life in London.
Lived Experience of EFL Challenges: Our experts also include those whose personal experiences encompass the challenges of English as a foreign language. They understand how idioms, colloquialisms, and regional slang can create major obstacles, and they ensure that the language is simple, literal, and universally understandable.
How This Works in Practice: The Power of Integrated Insight
This multi-layered lived experience offers a level of insight that traditional accessibility reviews can't match:
Relatable Imagery: Instead of a generic picture of a bus, our experts might suggest an image of a London bus or Tube station, making the information instantly relatable.
Cognitive-Friendly Clarity: They will identify complex structures and abstract concepts, ensuring the message is not just simplified, but fundamentally easy to process.
Linguistic Precision: They will eliminate jargon and complex phrasing that could be confusing to both someone with a cognitive impairment and an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) speaker, creating documents that are accessible on multiple fronts.
The Ultimate Level of Accessibility: Cognitive, Linguistic, & Contextual
This integrated expertise is the ultimate extension of our commitment to addressing the "Cinderella aspect" of accessibility. We're bridging not just the cognitive gap, but the contextual and linguistic gaps simultaneously. We help you ensure that your message is not only easy to read but also culturally relevant and linguistically precise for the diverse lives of those you serve.
For London authorities and organisations, this integrated insight is a powerful asset. It demonstrates that you understand the complex, multi-faceted nature of accessibility and have a genuine, on-the-ground understanding of your community.
Is your organisation based in London? Do your Easy Read documents truly reflect the full, multi-layered reality of the people you support?
Contact IC Works today to learn how our panel of experts by experience, with their unique insights into London life and communication challenges, can transform your communications and build stronger connections with your local community.