Communication Forum Scotland has launched its Inclusive Communication in Scotland Project (ICiS), which aims to enable people with communication support needs to be fully included in Scottish society. The project is funded until March 2012 by the Scottish Government.

Working in partnership with the Improvement Service, project managers Shirley Young and Claire Edwards will support people with communication support needs – the experts in inclusive communication – to run a series of regional seminars across Scotland for a range of people working in the public sector, including Chief Executives, senior managers and elected members.

The aim of the seminars will be to enable delegates to:

• hear about the Principles of Inclusive Communication (PIC) – a self-assessment tool for public authorities – and how they fit within self-assessment frameworks
• understand how by meeting the indicators contained within the PIC they can meet their legal, best value requirements and recommendations within the Christie Commission final report
• allow delegates to explore and tackle some of their organisation’s own barriers to changing their communication behaviour
• know where to access support and information about meeting the communication support needs of their staff and those whom they serve
• identify local ‘champions’ and ‘allies’ who will ensure good practice is embedded throughout the Local Authority.

Delegates will then have an opportunity to implement the principles and return to a national conference in March to present good practice and learn how others have overcome barriers. They will also identify work to go beyond the life of the project.