Goal: Explain how civil society helps improve public communication.
NGOs and advocacy groups play a key role in making information accessible to people who need it most. While governments and institutions are often the ones producing public content, it’s often local organisations that help ensure that content is understandable, inclusive, and usable.
Across Europe, many NGOs work closely with communities that face barriers to reading and comprehension—people with cognitive disabilities, migrants, young people and adults with low literacy, and others who may not fit the “average reader” profile. These organisations know what kinds of information are missing, which formats work, and how to test materials with real users.
Across the project countries, these organisations bring diverse expertise:
- In Croatia, Logoped.hr offers resources for parents and educators supporting children with communication challenges. The Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities promotes rights-based approaches, and the Croatian Dyslexia Association supports learners with reading difficulties.
- In North Macedonia, a 2024 law on the use of the Macedonian language mandates proofreading in all public institutions. Tools like the Official Digital Dictionary and the Macedonian Language Portal support consistent and accessible use of Macedonian.
- In Belgium, Inclusion asbl runs FALC.be to support Easy-to-Read French, while Lire et Écrire promotes adult literacy and language rights.
- In France, Santé Publique France, Unapei, and the ANLCI work to improve literacy and access to information. Tools like Lisible and U31 support clear writing using digital technology.
- In Romania, ISE – the Romanian Education Research Unit leads reforms to improve literacy and accessibility in schools, in partnership with NGOs and public institutions.
Other countries are also advancing accessible communication:
- In Slovenia, Zavod RISA publishes 20 Minutes in Easy Slovene and involves users in the creation of accessible materials.
- In Austria, Lebenshilfe Österreich supports Easy-to-Read communication across sectors.
- In Poland, the Jasnopis project provides tools and training for writing in plain Polish, including automated text clarity checks and expert review.
These examples show how cooperation between civil society and institutions can make public communication more inclusive, effective, and respectful of everyone’s needs.
Reflection prompt
Think of a group in your community that might face barriers to understanding public information. Is there a local NGO working with them? How could you involve that organisation in a project?
Try it
Look up an NGO or civil society group working on accessibility or literacy in your region.
Write down:
- One thing they do
- One way your organisation could collaborate with them