Fact Sheet 11. Rewarding and encouraging good practice
An important part of improving information accessibility is to encourage and reward good practice. You can also learn a lot from the good practices and approaches of other organisations. Being aware of these good practices can build learning and awareness of information accessibility and encourage your organisation to start providing accessible information.
Reward good practice inside your organisation
You can set up an internal award or merit system for staff working to promote information accessibility. This could be an annual award for the staff member who has contributed the most to information accessibility. Creating champions in your organisation is crucial to generating the energy and enthusiasm to increase information accessibility.
Participate in external award schemes
There are a number of award schemes which reward good practices and share the learning from these. Examples include the National Disability Authority's Excellence through Accessibility Awards, the National Adult Literacy Agency's Plain English Awards, the O2 Ability Awards and the MAMA awards for cultural diversity.
NCBI's Media Centre is also in the process of developing a clear print quality mark. The aim of the quality mark is to recognise and acknowledge businesses and other organisations that use clear print design in their written information. Using clear print design will help make information about their services and products easier to read, particularly for people with sight problems.
NCBI's Media Centre also intends to offer an editing and advice service on clear print design for public and private organisations. The quality mark standard and editing service is currently in the process of being set up and hopes to be up and running by the end of 2009.
| The National Disability Authority's Excellence through Accessibility awards promote and reward organisations that have made a commitment to continually improve the accessibility of their public services. The awards encourage the development of policies, practices and relationships that lead to sustainable and meaningful achievements in accessibility. |
Further resources
National Disability Authority Excellence through Accessibility Awards
The O2 Ability Awards reward good practice on disability accessibility.
The MAMA Awards recognise the people, groups, events, companies and institutions that embrace and celebrate cultural diversity in Ireland.
National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) ACE Awards reward innovative and high quality learning opportunities for adults www.nala.ie
National Adult Literacy Agency Plain English Mark rewards organisations for using plain English in letters and publications.
