MACC Information Charter

Below is a list of the mechanisms we use to provide information to the variety of groups and individuals we work with.

All materials produced by MACC will be in plain language as far as possible. The nature of our work means that there is often a great deal of jargon, acronyms and bureaucratic phrases and titles. While we try to keep them to a minimum, these are sometimes unavoidable. We will ensure that any such terms are explained either within the document or within a “jargon buster” or more often than not both.

In order to ensure we keep our work in plain language, as well as simply asking people who read our materials what they thought of them, we randomly sample the documents we produce and apply the “Fog Test” which derives a score for the “readability” of the writing.

1. Paper-based information

• Resource packs including
• Introductory materials
• Occasional updates & briefings
• Event reports
• Network / pool action plan
• Connections (MACC’s quarterly newsletter)
• Agendas, minutes and other meetings papers
• Discussion papers
• Pool Updates
• Other occasional mailshots

Accessibility

All material is available in large print or audio format on request.
MACC does not have the resources to provide all its information in the range of standard community languages (including people whose first language is British Sign Language) as a matter of course. Upon request we will try to provide translated materials.

2. Electronic information

• Website updates (ongoing)
• Email bulletins Connections (quarterly)
• All resource packs, action plans, reports and other materials will be available on the website.

Accessibility

All documents will be available in MS Word or Rich Text Format. Some larger documents will also be supplied in PDF format – where this is the case a text-only version will also be available with text equivalents for any information conveyed in images or diagrams.

To reduce the amount of attachments we send to email groups, weekly email bulletins will instead include links to where the files are stored on the website, enabling people to download them at the time and in the format they choose.

The website will include links to online translation services such as babelfish and worldlingo.

Visitors will be invited to give feedback on the website, particularly on issues of accessibility of the website. This will be actively requested from specific groups such as the Disabled People’s Network.

3. Audio information

MACC does not have the resources to provide all our information in audio format. Some key documents will be available on CD and via the website as MP3. We will try to provide any specific items not already available as audio on request.

4. Video information

MACC occasionally produces some video materials. Where possible we will try to make these accessible with such techniques as subtitles, in-vision signing or a narrator to describe action – however, we are again constrained by resources. As a minimum we will at least provide a text summary or transcript.

Website Terms of Use >>