Digital tools to make your charity more inclusive

 

Virtual reality helps charity audiences be more inclusive

 

Part of committing to inclusivity means showing your supporters that you care. Charities must be creative in showing their commitment. Through the use of digital tools, charity digital teams can showcase how it might feel to be marginalised or excluded. Virtual reality and immersive storytelling can also help give your supporters a different perspective. 

 

  

The National Autistic Society asks supporters to use their imaginations. To help with this, the charity used immerse storytelling and virtual reality. The National Autistic Society produced a virtual reality video showing how an autistic person might react in a shopping center. It included flashing lights and loud noises, mimicking sensory overload. The video helps those without autism understand what it might feel like. By sharing experiences like this, charities are helping to break down barriers to inclusion. 

 

 

Accessibility tools for better communication 

 

How do you know your website is accessible and inclusive? A digital accessibility audit is a good starting place. Outcomes of the audit can help charities reach the widest possible audience. 

 

  

AbilityNet and the British Museum have worked together to boost inclusivity. The project identified how the British Museum could reach more people. As part of the audit, AbilityNet suggested adding transcripts to audio and video content. By providing digital transcripts, people using screen readers can easily get the message. 

 

  

Charities can also use digital tools to make sure content is written in an accessible way. Textio is an augmented writing platform which helps charities use inclusive language. The writing platform also helps writers stay on brand. The platform helps make sure that keywords related to your values are used. This way of writing means that everyone has the same ‘on brand’ language. By subscribing to Textio, charities can make sure written work is created in an inclusive way. 

  

 

Hemingway app is another tool which can help charities make their communications more readable. The digital tool helps charities to write clearly and concisely. This allows content to be accessible to audiences of all reading levels. To start with, the authors insert a text into the webpage. The editor then  highlights areas which could be written in a simpler way. Charities can access the app for free.

 

 

  

Knowing your diversity stats

 

Keeping track of diversity and inclusion helps charities move in the right direction. Digital tools can help connect the dots by identifying trends. 

 

  

PeopleInsight is a digital HR platform which picks up employee data. For charity leaders, the digital tool helps keep track of progress.  For example, the platform monitors employee ethnicity. These statistics could help make sure that BAME ratios improve. The equity tool also helps leaders keep abreast of corporate trends. The tool is able to assess whether there is a gender pay gap.  Using digital, leaders can track progress, identify and report on trends. 

 

  

SAP SuccessFactors provides a 360-degree solution for larger charities. The HR platform works like a constituent relationship management (CRM) system. The platform helps make sense of what’s going by linking data together. Charities can programme the system to track inclusion metrics over time. Leaders can then assess and make changes based on statistics real data. The platform can also link unconventional data together. This helps to uncover hidden trends. With powerful analytical support, leaders can forge ahead and make changes.