KEY ADVICE AND SERVICES
Join me socially
  • Welcome
  • Services
  • Training
  • Key Blog
  • About
  • Get in Touch
    • Media Centre

Real and virtual communities promote plain language and literacy

10/14/2012

0 Comments

 
In the last week I have had the brilliant opportunity to participate in two community awareness and fundraising events. One was local to BC, the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) and Black Press Reach-A-Reader Day literacy campaign. The other was International Plain Language Day Oct 13, iplday.org, a virtual, global celebration. They may seem worlds apart - but really they are very close in many ways - and we can all learn from them.

CBAL's local literacy awareness and fundraising campaign involved partnerships, promotions, and people - volunteering time to shout about it on street corners in their towns. They raised funds that stay in their communities - by taking donations and handing out local newspapers. It was energizing to see the support live. And, the results will be felt in these communities as the funds stay with them to support local programs.

International Plain Language Day, Oct 13 celebrations involved the global community - Canada, US, UK, South Africa, New Zealand, and more - supporting this cause with local meetings; a virtual conference using YouTube, SlideShare, their website; and, social media - LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook. Donated presentations made up the content, volunteers promoted it, and hundreds watched, listened, posted and tweeted about plain language. It was motivating to be part of it. And, the results wil be felt far and wide, as the plain language global community opens its doors and invites everyone in.

These two events may seem totally unrelated - but they both had common themes: increasing people's access to and understanding of - education opportunities; health and legal information and services; workplace training and learning opportunities; community support and participation. They were both led by passionate professionals and supported by committed volunteers - and followed on an idea someone felt was important. There is a lot of powerful energy that comes from these types of events. Harness it, learn from it, and put it to work in your community.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Kate Harrison Whiteside has over 25 years experience in plain language, writing and editing, training and consulting.

    Archives

    February 2023
    July 2021
    June 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    February 2015
    June 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All
    Blog Tips
    Consulting
    Essential Skills
    Iplday
    Iplday2015
    Keyq3
    Literacy
    Online Content
    Plain2013
    Plain Language
    Plain Language Academy
    Podcast
    Readability
    Readabilityguidelines
    SME And Social Media
    Social Media
    Story Telling
    Training
    Trends
    Usability
    Web Content
    Web Development

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.