Making it Clear: Clear Language for Union Communications

Clear language workshop

All the materials you need to run a two-day workshop

INTRODUCTION

There are many possibilities for clear language workshops in union education and activities:

two-day Labour Councilor union weekend school
one-day session as part of a weekend or five-day course
one- or two-day session for union staff or activists from a particular work area
short awareness sessions: 1.5 hours to half-day

We are including materials here for a two-day workshop. Facilitators can draw from this material to prepare shorter sessions. For example, an awareness session might combine the video, The Clear Writer's Hit Squad, with an overview and exercises. A one-day session might leave out Exercise 4 and "Advocating for Clear Language and Design."

It's important for the facilitator to talk with the workshop organizers in advance. Know your workshop audience: ask questions like those described on page seven. The most effective clear language training includes a lot of hands-on practice with relevant material. In promoting the workshop, ask people to send you samples of their material that you can use in the workshop.

Look in the materials for sample sentences, paragraphs and design to use in the workshop exercises. Make sure to get the author's permission before using their work as an example.
Collect flyers, brochures, posters and other material from a variety of unions and community groups. You will use these samples in the workshop introduction and in "Looking at Type and Design."