You can share your feedback in different ways, including online, by email, on paper, or by speaking with us. You can also ask for support or an accessible format if you need one. Let us know what you need. We will try to help.

Yes. You can ask us for support. This might include help with understanding information, using a different format, or getting extra time to take part.

Yes. We can get help to complete the survey.
This could be help in person or over the phone.

We will use community feedback to help update the policy and implementation plan. Your ideas will help shape how Council shares information and listens to the community in the future.

If you need support, you can email us: accessibility@merri-bek.vic.gov.au.

Or you can phone us: 9240 1111.

We will do our best to support you.

Every Merri-bek resident, business owner and even visitors to Merri-bek have a right to be involved in decision that impact and interest them.

Additionally, the Victorian Government, through the Local Government Act 2020 requires all councils to develop and maintain a community engagement policy.

While the policy is designed to meet our legislative requirements on when to engagement, the guidelines provide Council.

Community engagement is a planned process where we seek feedback from members of the Merri-bek community on project, services and plans that impact and interest them.

There are many factors that influence how Council makes decisions - the views of the community are one of them.

Other factors that influence how Council makes decisions include Council's policies and strategic documents, expert advice, and state government policies and regulations.

Accessible and inclusive communications are about making sure that Council information is available to everyone. It is about supporting people who may face barriers to getting information or taking part in Council activities. This includes:

People with disability, such as:

• People with hidden disability, including autism, ADHD, mental health conditions, dyslexia and other learning differences
• People with physical disability
• People with intellectual or cognitive disability

People from multicultural communities, including:

• People who use languages other than English.
• People from newer communities, such as people who speak Urdu, Nepali or Spanish
• People from long-established migrant communities, such as older Italian, Greek, Turkish and Arabic-speaking residents.

Other community members, including:

• People who prefer non-written forms of communication
• LGBTIQA+ people
• First Nations peoples
• Young people

The policy also considers other barriers that can make access harder, such as:

• Limited access to the internet or digital devices
• Money worries or financial hardship
• Cultural barriers
• Limited access to assistive technology

We want to make sure our information is clear and that everyone has a fair chance to be involved.

Accessibility helps everyone get information and take part in Council activities.
People have different needs, and some people face barriers because of disability, language, technology or other reasons. We want to make sure our information is reaches everyone in the community. By putting accessibility at the centre of our work, we make things better for everyone.

This policy explains how we share information so it is clear, respectful and accessible. It guides Council staff on how to communicate in ways that include as many people as possible. By putting accessibility at the centre of our work, we can make things better for everyone in our community.

The implementation plan aims to turn ideas into action. It says the things that we will do to make sure our information is available to everyone.

Every Merri-bek resident, business owner and even visitors to Merri-bek have a right to be involved in decision that impact and interest them.

We want to make sure our information reaches everyone in the community. This means we need to provide information in different ways to suit different people.

Our Accessible and Inclusive Communications Policy and Implementation Plan will guide our work for the next four years. It will help us communicate better with diverse people in the community. This helps us meet our obligation to avoid discrimination and to uphold the human rights of all people in our community.

We are updating the policy to make our communications easier to find and use. We want to make sure we are using:

• the right formats – things like audio, video or Easy Read
• the right languages – things like translations
• the right channels – things like social media, in-person conversations, printed materials.

We want to hear from the community about what works well and what needs to improve. We want to make sure the policy meets the needs of our community.

Alternative formats are different ways of sharing information so people can choose what works best for them. This can include large print, audio, Easy Read, translated versions, video or braille. We want to provide alternative formats to make information more accessible.

Plain language means using clear, everyday words and short sentences. It avoids jargon and technical terms. Plain language helps more people understand information the first time they read it.

Easy Read uses shorter words and sentences than plain language. Easy Read also uses images to explain ideas. Easy Read is often used by people with cognitive impairments, but it can help many people.

That is okay. Council information can sometimes be confusing.
You can ask us to explain it in a simpler way or provide the information in a different format.

Council has many different channels that help us communicate a range of services and programs to the Merri-bek community.

You can:

• Follow us on social media. Search for us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
• Subscribe to our enewsletter, My Merri-bek.
• Visit our website for up-to-date news items.
• Register on Conversations Merri-bek to be alerted when new projects go live. Do this by clicking on the log in/join button at the top of the page.

Different ways of sharing information so more people can use it. For example, accessible formats could include large print, audio versions, plain language or Easy Read.

Sharing information in ways that are easy to find, understand, and use by as many people as possible.

Being anonymous means that no one knows who you are. For example, if you answer questions in our survey, people will not know the information came from you.

Information that you can listen to. For example, a recording or spoken version of a document.

Electronic screens that look a bit like televisions. They show information in public places like libraries.

Easy Read materials use very short words. They also use images to help explain the words.

Information printed in bigger text to make it easier to read.

A small, local place where people can connect, learn new skills, and join activities close to home. In Merri-bek, we have these neighbourhood houses:

• Brunswick Neighbourhood House
• East Coburg Neighbourhood House
• Fawkner Neighbourhood House
• Glenroy Neighbourhood House
• Newlands Neighbourhood House
• Reynard Street Neighbourhood House
• Sussex Neighbourhood House

Plain language uses clear words and short sentences to explain information.

Information designed so screen-reading software can read it out loud clearly and in the right order.

Using things like pictures, icons or diagrams to help explain ideas quickly and clearly.

A small group session where people come together to learn, talk, and share ideas about a topic. For example, the topic could be how Council share information with the community.