Plain2013 Designing and Developing Plain Language Projects_J Kirby
- 1. Designing and developing plain language projects Joh Kirby Executive Director Victoria Law Foundation Melbourne, Australia
- 2. My background • Appointed as Executive Director of the Victoria Law Foundation (Australia) in April 2008 • A lawyer with an honours degree from Monash University • Prior to my appointment as Executive Director I worked as the Foundation's Grants Manager and as a lawyer at Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- 3. Victoria Law Foundation About • Independent statutory body • Not-for-profit Our focus • Improving legal literacy Core programs • Grants • Publications • Education
- 4. What we want to do Improve public legal education through promoting plain language
- 5. Keeping it simple and positive • Keep the approach simple • Keep the message positive: Telling lawyers that they are poor communicators is not going to work • Help lawyers understand their audience better
- 6. Changing the pitch • Appeal to your audience • Start a conversation about good communication in the law • Focus on the benefits of incorporating plain language
- 7. Our strategy • • • • • • • Getting our team on board Getting everyone else on board Getting the message out there Ongoing support Use research Hope for some luck Do it well
- 8. Getting our team on board • Plain language training • Staff mentoring and feedback • Developing a formal strategy known as the Plain Language Framework • Integration with our programs • Grants, Publications, Education including Communications program
- 9. Getting everyone else on board • Plain language training open to the sector • Attendees are advocates for our message • Spreading the word
- 10. Getting the message out there • • • • • Communications strategy Control message Consistent presence Social media Conferences
- 11. Ongoing support for everyone • Better information handbook • Publishing forums • Ongoing support to the sector • Also see CLEO’s adaptation of the Better information handbook (2013)
- 12. Use research • • Have more than one voice Literacy research • 48% of Australians struggle with literacy. • Literacy facts for Ontario…16% of the population struggle with very serious literacy challenges and have difficulty with even the most basic written materials. Another 26% can read but not well enough to meet the demands of today’s society. Source: Better information handbook, CLEO, 2013 • • Legal needs survey Australian Bureau of Statistics
- 13. Some good luck • • • • • • Creating opportunities, opening new doors Conferences Churchill Fellowship Clearmark commendation Academic journals and newsletters Forums
- 14. How do we know it works • Being asked for assistance/advice in this area • Increase in traffic to our website • Increase in the number of social media followers in the area of plain language
- 15. Ideas to take away • • • • • • • Deliver on what you promise Keep it simple and positive Believe in your message Provide ongoing support Get outside voices to assist you – trainers, champions, research Have a consistent message Hope for some good luck!
- 16. Contact details Joh Kirby Executive Director Victoria Law Foundation Level 5, 43 Hardware Lane MELBOURNE, VIC 3000 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 3 9604 8100 Email: contact@victorialawfoundation.org.au Web: www.victorialawfoundation.org.au