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Designing and Developing Plain Language Projects, Joh Kirby Victor Law Foundation, Australia
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Joh KirbyExecutive DirectorVictoria Law FoundationMelbourne, Australia
Designing and developing plain language projects
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
Victoria Law FoundationCore programs
• Grants• Publications• Education
Our focus• Improving legal
literacy
About• Independent
statutory body • Not-for-profit
What we want to doImprove public legal education through promoting plain language
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
Changing the pitch• Appeal to your audience• Start a conversation about good communication
in the law• Focus on the benefits of incorporating plain
language
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
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
Getting everyone else on board• Plain language training open to
the sector• Attendees are advocates for our
message• Spreading the word
Getting the message out there• Communications strategy• Control message• Consistent presence• Social media• Conferences
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)
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
Some good luck• Creating opportunities, opening new doors• Conferences• Churchill Fellowship• Clearmark commendation• Academic journals and newsletters• Forums
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
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!
Contact detailsJoh KirbyExecutive DirectorVictoria Law FoundationLevel 5, 43 Hardware LaneMELBOURNE, VIC 3000AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 3 9604 8100Email: [email protected]: www.victorialawfoundation.org.au