Ten Sunshine Coast parks are now home to communication boards designed to make the facilities more interactive and educational.
Created by Sunshine Coast Libraries in partnership with Sunshine Sign and Sing, the boards are designed to help young and non-verbal people express themselves and connect with others.
Each board is tailored to its park, featuring pictures and Key Word Signs (KWS) that reflect the local surroundings. They can be used to share needs and wants, ask questions, offer choices and learn about surroundings.
Picture boards let users point to images while saying the word. Key Word Sign boards use signs, gestures and facial expressions, alongside speech, to reinforce meaning.
Key Word Sign is a communication tool using signs (borrowed from Auslan), gestures and facial expressions alongside speech. They are helpful for all young children, especially those with communication barriers, whether they are still learning to talk, have unclear speech, or are unable to speak.
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Boards can be found at Alexandra Headland (Nelson Park), Brightwater (Community Lake Park), Buddina (Kevin Asmus Park), Currimundi (Grahame Stewart Park), Glass House Mountains (Glass House Mountains Park), Mapleton (Mapleton Lilyponds), Nambour (Quota Memorial Park), Palmview (Village Green Boulevard Park), Peregian Springs (The Avenue Park) and Yandina (George VI Memorial Park).
Each board includes a QR code linking to videos that demonstrate Key Word Signs, so parents and carers can join in and support their children.
The project was made possible by the Queensland Government’s First 5 Forever funding, which aims to provide strong early literacy foundations for all Queensland children aged 0-5 years.
