An Aphasia-Led Toolkit for Navigating Public Services
Current public service systems assume fast, fluent communication and digital proficiency; excluding many with language disabilities such as aphasia. This project seeks to address this challenge by creating practical, aphasia-friendly resources while advocating for more inclusive public services. The main aim is to offer a companion toolkit that will support people with aphasia on their journey of accessing public services.
The project objectives are to:
- Identify and document the barriers people with aphasia face when accessing public services – the procedural glitches of trying to get help through support services – as well as the opportunities to improve accessibility
- Co-design an accessible public service toolkit tailored to the unique needs of people with aphasia, including tools such as visual aids, simplified language guides, and a web-based repository to support communication
- Promote the toolkit to public service providers, caregivers, and stakeholders to raise awareness and encourage the adoption of inclusive communication practices.
At the center of this initiative is a collaborative approach that brings together people with aphasia (Aphasia Champions) as co-designers, Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) who will facilitate the process, and Human-Computer Interaction researchers who will assist in developing the toolkit. The project will be embedded within a registered charity grounded in a strength-based model that emphasizes collaboration and empowerment. This trusted environment, where people with aphasia feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, provides the ideal foundation for co-designing and piloting the toolkit. By leveraging the charity’s existing networks and expertise in active communication support, the project will aim to ensure that its outputs are practical, relevant, and sustainable. The project will create a blueprint for an innovative service intervention which can be embedded within charities and replicated by other organisations.
Team
Dr Filip Bircanin – Postdoctoral Researcher, King’s College London
Dr Timothy Neate – Senior Lecturer, King’s College London
Dr Sally McVicker; Speech and Language Therapist, Aphasia Re-Connect
Sioban Zacharek – Speech and Language Therapist, Aphasia Re-Connect
Alistair Gentry – Resident Artist
Professor Madeline Cruice – City St George’s University of London
Humphrey Curtis – PhD researcher, King’s College London