The Quality in Our Diversity Project (QID) is a dynamic process whereby an Approved Housing Body can achieve a Quality Mark for its work in building sustainable intercultural communities. Circle VHA has partnered with two other AHBs to develop this quality mark system/framework and it now forms part of our Tenant Engagement work.
During the QID project workshops and training we collaborated with tenants and staff and discovered the need to provide better language supports to tenants who do not speak English as a first language.
In response to this need and as part of our ongoing commitment to be an inclusive organisation we discovered and implemented the Recite Me toolbar.
Recite Me is a game changer – it is a powerful and valuable addition to our digital offering on the Circle website. The toolbar helps all visitors including our tenants with visual impairment, translation needs, dyslexia alongside an array of other needs or challenges in which they face. The toolbar empowers tenants and visitors of the site to engage with our website and access an array of necessary information and supports.
We would encourage any organisation who aims to do more to be inclusive to consider implementing Recite Me. Below is a piece from Recite Me that provides some insights into Circle’s experience of usability, alongside Clúid and Respond our partners in the QID project.
We would really love to hear from tenants from minority ethnic backgrounds who are interested in participating in our upcoming focus groups to give direct feedback on the work of the project in the future.
To hear more about our experience with Recite Me and our focus groups please feel free to reach out to our Intercultural and Diversity coordinator Marie Corr or our Steering Committee members, Adam Gannon, Gavin Connolly, and Ken Cullen by emailing tes@circlevha.ie or intercultural@circlevha.ie
Recite Me article can be found here.
