The organisation is at the forefront of communication accessibility as one of only three organisations in South Australia to have achieved accreditation.

Uniting Communities Chief Executive, Simon Schrapel said that “It was important for the organisation to take a lead in ensuring its services could be more accessible for all who sought assistance. Too often people are excluded from the very services that are designed to help them because the services are not equipped to communicate effectively.  This has the effect of denying assistance to those who need it most.”

Accreditation has been achieved in three frontline customer service areas, with staff successfully completing extensive training and subsequent assessments. The accreditation recognises that the organisation is welcoming of people with communication challenges, that their teams have the skills and confidence to communicate with people with a communication disability and that they have the communication access resources to successfully interact with people who have communication difficulties.  It also involved the production of bespoke communication resources including Easy English guides to facilitate access and understanding of services on offer.

Simon Schrapel said that the accreditation is an important extension to the organisation’s commitment to inclusive practices that flexibly respond to people with a disability, prevent discrimination and reduce barriers to access.

“This accreditation is just the beginning of our journey to improve communication accessibility for customers and enhance participation and independence. Just as entry ramps for wheelchair users are commonly available, we can also broaden the skills and tools available to support communication challenges and recognise a broader range of needs.”

In Australia, over 424,000 people aged 0-64 years have a recognised communication disability, with over 30,000 in the South Australian community. Accessible communication practices provide added benefit when working with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as individuals with low literacy.

Uniting Communities is the third organisation in South Australia to be accredited, behind accreditation organisation Two Way Street and the Adelaide City Council.

Two Way Street Director, Janelle Sampson said, “Two Way Street has been dreaming of a communication accessible South Australia for many years and thanks to organisations like Uniting Communities attaining Communication Access certification, we can make this happen.

“We are thrilled that many Uniting Communities customer service points are now accredited with the Communication Access Symbol demonstrating their leadership and commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for people with communication challenges. We now have three businesses in South Australia setting the standard and encouraging others to commit to making South Australia communication accessible to everyone.”

The Communication Access Symbol will be officially launched at Uniting Communities today and will be attended by the Minister for Human Services, Michelle Lensink.