CHAT and play boards have been installed in two Shire of Mundaring parks to assist adults and children with limited language skills to express themselves and communicate with other people.

The boards use symbols and pictures to help people share their choices and needs while enjoying the park.

Shire President Paige McNeil said the new boards in the Mundaring Sculpture Park and Morgan John Morgan train park in Glen Forrest would help many people who find it difficult to communicate.

“These boards will empower adults and children with limited language skills to express themselves, share their choices, and connect with others while enjoying our beautiful parks,” she said.

“Our community helped to choose the locations of the chat and play boards that are an initiative from the shire’s access and inclusion informing strategy. I would also like to thank the advisory group for their insights and work in developing an action plan.

“We are actively working to create inclusive spaces at our much-loved community parks.”

Tips on how to use a communication board include pointing to symbols to convey messages, pointing and talking at the same time, talking in full sentences but only pointing to the key words and using the communication boards to ask questions and make comments.

More information is available on the shire website.