inclusive writing
Course overview
Language is constantly changing. A word that meant one thing 200 years ago often has one or more completely different meanings today. And will likely go on to mean different things again in future.
In this course we take a look at the changing landscape of language, what we mean by inclusivity and protected characteristics, and how inclusive writing is as much about accuracy and avoiding bias as it is about not causing offence.
Delivery: in person
Class size: up to 12 people
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: from £1,250 plus VAT per course
What the course covers
Over this session we’ll look at:
how language use and meaning change over time
how the internet influences language change
shifting values, profanity and the euphemism treadmill
what makes up inclusive language and why we have protected characteristics
the legal, ethical and professional reasons to be inclusive
having a go at writing using inclusive language
the importance of style guides, inclusive writing in organisations and future consistency
What you’ll learn
After completing this course, you will:
have an understanding of how language has changed over time and continues to evolve, despite efforts to standardise it
know what protected characteristics are and how they relate to inclusive language
feel confident in your ability to write inclusively having practised with a variety of practical exercises
have the tools and resources to champion inclusive writing within your organisation
We tailor all exercises in the course to make them relevant to you and your organisation.
If you’d like to focus on a particular area, we can adjust the course content to suit your needs. Or we can add elements from other courses, or create something completely bespoke for you. See how our training works.
Your trainer
Christine Cawthorne is an experienced trainer who has been teaching people to write for the web since 2009.
She joined Government Digital Service in 2013 and trained thousands of people how to understand user needs, write in clearer language and use the GOV.UK style guide.
As well as giving training, Christine works as a content strategist helping public sector and non-profits with their content. She mentors content designers at all stages of their careers and runs the Crocstar content community.
Feedback for this course
I absolutely loved this training, some of the best training I have ever received. The mood was set perfectly and I noticed it grabbed everyone’s attention straight away. If the purpose of this was to create all-staff buy-in then this has definitely achieved that goal. Thank you.