By Charmaine James, Co-Founder of A Voice For All Foundation
Member of the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force for Apraxia Kids

I’m a night owl, at least that’s what I tell myself. It’s the time where the world is quiet, where I can hear myself think, when I can sneak my piece of chocolate that I’ve been hiding from my 3 kids all day. Truthfully, it was the one time in 2020 when my house was still – this night, I was scrolling social media and came across a post. I normally would scroll past, expecting the typical motherly advice that one sees within a mom social media group. However, this post had one word that caught my eye, non-verbal. At that moment, I realized that this mother was crying out for help when dealing with their child on a playground or on family walks. She was asking how she can anticipate what her child needs were, how to initiate play between her child and other children on the playground who have various forms of communication. This post did not contain the standard motherly advice. Instead it had other mothers in the same boat, or mothers offering a shoulder to lean on. That night, I went to sleep with that post on my mind. I felt that mother’s cry. I understood what she was feeling. I remembered the days of taking my 3-year-old to the park and not understanding if she was asking for a swing or the slide; watching her become frustrated because she wanted a drink of water and I thought she was asking me to push her higher on the swing. Having a child with apraxia makes going out to a park a different type of outing. Reading that post changed me. It made me want to change the world for my child and other children like her.

The next day, I went back to that post and came across another mom who had an idea: What if we place communication boards throughout playgrounds so that playgrounds were more inclusive, and children can feel like they have a voice? I thought to myself, “This mom, she gets it. She not only wanted to help one child, but she wanted to help others as well.” I sent her a message and decided to get to work. 

To start off, we contacted our local government Parks and Recreation Department. We started small. She contacted her town, and I contacted mine. We attached photos of what we thought the boards should look like and what words would be beneficial to have. We explained why we thought communication boards were a necessity and how it would make the playground more inclusive for all. 

Next, we researched companies that licensed the use of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECs). Knowing that most people who have been through speech therapy have had some exposure to PECs, we figured this would be the best way to go. Getting the town’s Parks and Recreation Department to participate was the easy part. The town where we live had the funds to go ahead and move forward with the project. We provided them with the communication board mockup, and they were able to get a local sign shop to create the board and install in our parks. 

We also had a goal of getting communication boards placed at her son’s school. So she went to local businesses that are known for an inclusive environment (for example: hair salon, pediatric dentistry, local pumpkin patches, etc.) and asked for donations to the creation and installation of the boards in exchange for having their business logo included on the boards. The businesses contributed and the boards were purchased and installed. Once one board was installed and the word got out, other schools and businesses wanted boards for their playgrounds and classroom, as well. What started out as a labor of love for one child, turned into a nonprofit that works to install communication boards throughout the country. 

To obtain a communication board within your community, I would suggest:

1. Reach out to your community’s Parks and Recreation Department. Share with them what having a communication board in the community will mean for your family. Send pictures of examples that you think your community would like. Continue to reach out and follow up; oftentimes an email can get lost or the response may not be what was expected, but if you continue to keep a line of communication open with them, they will be willing to help. 
2. Choose a PECs licensing company. 
3. Create a mockup of the communication board. For this you will need to determine where and how it will be installed; a sign hanging on a fence, a sign on a post, or attached to an object. Determine the height and width of the board, while keeping in mind who will be trying to access the board. 
4. Meet with a local sign shop for installation. Work with them to create the communication board using PECs.
5. For funding, speak with local business owners. Hold fundraising events or use social media. Communication boards vary in cost so raising money is key to ensure that the boards are durable to withstand different outdoor elements.

If you are interested in getting help with communication board for your community, you can reach out to A Voice for All Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

A Voice for All Foundation: Giving children a voice in the playgrounds allows us to give them opportunity to make connections while they play.