“everyone deserves a voice no matter how they need to be heard.”
Imagine what your week would have looked like…if you couldn’t communicate your needs verbally how would your life be different, how would you feel.
This is more than just a poor customer experience. As you can imagine it can be upsetting, set you back in your own development and affect your mental health.
Katie MacKay, Nationwide
About Our Blog Series
Welcome to the second in our monthly series of blogs looking at the support that would enable people with accessibility needs to use everyday services with as little disruption to their lives as others do (or at least, as little disruption as possible).
Each entry in this series has been written by someone with lived experience of a particular support need.
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With that, here is our second post, from Katie MacKay
“Everyone Deserves a Voice”
The ability to speak, something many take for granted, being able to successfully communicate your needs verbally is pretty much an expectation in whatever service you are trying to access. Something so simple and vital in today’s society, yet millions across the UK are still left without a voice, without access to vital services unless they have support from a carer, friend or family member, not only taking away their independence but increasing their risk of financial abuse.
At a first glance this may seem like an issue that only effects a small amount of the population. However, it is estimated 1 in 5 people in the UK will experiences a communication difficulty at some point in their lives, that’s around 14 million people, and I am one of them. I have a degree, a good job, my own home, on the surface my difficulties are minimised by people’s perceptions of what communication difficulties are. Yet, I can still struggle to communicate when triggered.
Nonverbal communication is communicating without any words. A lot of people will use the term non-speaking as they may communicate words through movement, facial expressions, gestures, sign language etc. People also sometimes use the terms non-oral, non-vocal, or minimally speaking; there’s a spectrum of language around communicate difficulties. No matter how someone wants to identify their communication need, everyone deserves a voice.
There are so many reasons why someone may have trouble communicating. This could be due to a life event such as a stroke, cancer, an accident; or the cause may be lifelong such as autism cerebral palsy. People may also have communication difficulties due to mental health conditions such as anxiety; or English may be their second language. Communication barriers can affect everyone, it’s not limited to one age; it can be lifelong or for a shorter period of time and can be obvious or hidden.
Latest numbers of supplied by the Stroke Association show that there are 350,000 UK citizens who have Aphasia. 25% to 35% of autistic people are either non-speaking or minimally speaking. Minimally speaking means that this individual will speak fewer than 30 words. If we consider the National Autistic Society’s figure that there is 700,000 people in the UK are on the Autistic Spectrum, this equates to a figure between 175,000 and 245,000 who are non-speaking or minimally speaking. There is 9 million people in the UK who are Deaf or hard of hearing. That’s just a handful of people who could be affected by communication barriers.
So, I am autistic, many people don’t understand the barriers we can face. In some cases I can communicate really well but in others in public settings I can struggle to communicate simple things. When I bought my house, I had to go to a new GP. You would expect this to be accessible for all but yet, that was not my experience.
When the day of my first appointment came I went to the desk and tried to check in but was directed to the self-check in machine. The machine was not working so I went back to the desk and tried to explain, but the receptionist didn’t understand what I was saying and kept sending me back and back to the machine. This made me feel anxious like she thought I was stupid, or she couldn’t be bothered to try understand. She eventually listened after a man went and told her it wasn’t working. But, by this point I had been trying to communicate unsuccessfully and was getting more and more agitated. When my name was called over the telecom, I had no idea where to go, I tried to ask for help but was met by confusion and a hint of frustration that I was being difficult. when I final got into the GP I couldn’t communicate anything, I tried to say hello and instead I just sat there completely overwhelmed crying. I couldn’t pull any words together.
For many, communication barriers are hidden. Imagine trying to communicate but the words all come out jumbled or nothing comes out at all. People talking over you because you are taking too long to explain, or they just guess what you want.
I want you to take a minute and think for me, think about all the things you have done this week, going to the supermarket, work, ordering a takeaway, meeting friends. imagine what your week would have looked like if you had a communication barrier, if you couldn’t communicate your needs verbally how would your life be different, how would you feel.
This is more than just a poor customer experience. As you can imagine it can be upsetting, set you back in your own development and affect your mental health.
Remember just because someone may not be able to communicate verbally it does not mean they can’t understand you with the right support.
Industry has taken strides to improve accessibility for many segments, but the sizeable non-speaking, and people with verbal communication barrier population are often overlooked when we design and test accessible services. Many people who have a communication barrier rely on other people to communicate for them which could increase their risk of finical abuse and take away their independence. It can also, cause difficulties for them accessing services or choose the right products for them.
There is no one size fits all approach to accessible communication what one person needs may differ to what someone else needs to communicate effectually. But there are some simple things you can and should do.
The ‘TALK’ principles created by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists are a great example of accessible communication. The first one is TIME, this is about giving the customer time to process any information you give them but also giving them time to respond. The second is ASK. So asking the customer what help they need to communicate effectively, would they prefer a pen and paper, do they want to sit down somewhere quiet etc. Then it’s LISTEN and LOOK; listening carefully to the customer. if you are unsure what they are asking, ask them to confirm you have got the information correct by playing back what you felt they asked – for example, so you would like to withdraw £50 today is that correct? Look at what the customer is doing, they may be trying to communicate through movement, this could include nodding or pointing. And finally KEEP TRYING, don’t give up. Communication is a two way process so learn from interactions with customers, share good practice, try different methods to find one that suits each customer. Communication Access UK (https://communication-access.co.uk/) offer training that both individuals and organisations can complete and is a great starting point for anyone looking to make their communication more accessible.
My ask you today is to think… think about your customers, friends, colleagues and family… what more we could all be doing in our own industries and lives to make communication accessible where that be the financial sector to the service industry, because everyone deserves a voice no matter how they need to be heard.
Support needs covered in this piece
I need you to give me more time to process information and respond to questions.
I need a quiet space for appointments.
I communicate with an assistive device such as a tablet, or by writing with pen and paper. Please allow me time to communicate in this manner.
Please confirm any agreed actions with me so I can be sure you have understood.
About Katie, in her own words
I am a neurodiverse women currently working at Nationwide building society. I work in operational planning as well as on our speak easy tool program. A tool designed to help customers complete in branch enquiry non verbally using phrase and image cards. I also sit on the Disability Sport Wales National Youth Board.
Useful links
Communication Access UK – Inclusive communication for all (communication-access.co.uk)
Orange wallet – Awtistiaeth Cymru | Autism Wales | National Autism Team
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