Good Communication at Public Meetings

How to run a meeting so that everyone can take part, especially those who are deaf or blind

Prepared by Caithness Deaf Care, the voluntary organisation
serving deaf people in north Highland. 
The Sensory Centre, 23 Telford Street, Wick, KW1 5EQ
Tel: 01955 606170 Text: 01955 606171

At any public meeting, particularly those attended by older people, there are likely to be those who find it difficult to follow what is going on because they have poor hearing or vision.

How can we help people to participate?

This pamphlet gives advice on organising a public meeting for the benefit of everyone.

Important Steps

• Make sure the venue is accessible.
• Reserve front row seats for those with poor hearing, vision or both, also wheel chair users and the less mobile.
• Provide good lighting for the platform.
• Venue staff and platform speakers to be aware of the needs of
  those with poor hearing or vision.
• Use a public address system where available.
• Provide a “Loop” system for those with a hearing aid; and “Personal Listening Devices” for people who do not, but may not hear well.
• Ask someone to be Chairperson for the meeting.
• Arrange appropriate communication support, as necessary, e.g. British Sign Language/English Interpreters; Lipspeakers; Electronic Notetakers; Deafblind communicators.
• Publicise meetings in advance in a variety of formats e.g. large print, Braille, minutes supplied on tape, plain English.
• Make presentations clear e.g. Powerpoint - large projection in a large font and appropriate colour contrast.

More Information on some of these points

The Venue is Accessible
- Does the venue have a ramp for wheelchair access?
- Are there handrails or assistance for less mobile and visually impaired people?
- Is the room decoration suitable i.e. contrasting colours used for clearer visibility?

Reserved Front Seats
- This helps hard of hearing people to lipread speakers on the platform and partially sighted people to see displays.
- Ensure appropriate/comfortable seating is supplied.

Good Lighting
- This may assist lipreading and those using the service of an Interpreter to see better.
- This may also help visually impaired people to find a seat.

Awareness of Sensory Impairment
- Speakers and venue staff should be aware of how to help and where to find help for people with poor hearing or vision. Relevant advice, information and training can be provided by contacting any of the organisations listed
overleaf.

Loop System for Hearing Aid Wearers
- Most public venues should be fitted with one to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. Advice on fitting is available.

Role of Chairperson
- Open and close a meeting.
- Ensure that only one person speaks at a time and states their name each time they speak.
- Repeat questions from the floor – for the benefit of those who may not have heard.

Disability Discrimination Act (1995)

The terms of the Act state that service providers may have to make “reasonable adjustments” in the way they provide services and in relation to the physical features of premises, in order to reduce barriers to access.