Clarence has installed its first communication “chat” board at a popular playground in Lindisfarne, designed to help children and adults who find verbal communication difficult.
Chat boards are simple visual tools that allow people to communicate by pointing to pictures, symbols and words.
They are designed to help people who are non-verbal, have limited speech or struggle to communicate in certain situations.
Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley said Simmons Park was the ideal spot for a board given its existing inclusive design features.
Work is also underway at Simmons Park to replace the Liberty Swing with a new inclusive carousel.
The project is a partnership between the City of Clarence and Variety the Children’s Charity Tasmania.
“We will work with Variety to install more chat boards across our city,” Blomeley said.
Variety Tasmania said the board would make a real difference for children who use augmentative and alternative communication or braille.
“Being able to communicate at the playground can make an enormous difference to how confidently they join in and connect with others,” the charity said.
Variety praised the council for recognising “that true accessibility is about more than physical access” and committing to bring chat boards to more playgrounds across the municipality.
Launceston’s Riverbend Park and Long Beach Reserve playground in Sandy Bay have also had chat boards installed recently.
