How can you make tenant education and engagement programs accessible for non-English speakers?

2 Use simple and clear language

When you create your tenant education and engagement materials, such as newsletters, flyers, brochures, or videos, use simple and clear language that is easy to understand. Avoid using jargon, slang, idioms, or acronyms that may confuse or mislead non-English speakers. Use short sentences, bullet points, and headings to organize your information. Use visuals, such as images, icons, or graphs, to support your text and convey your message.

3 Provide multilingual options

Another way to make your tenant education and engagement programs accessible is to provide multilingual options for your materials and activities. You can translate your written materials into the languages spoken by your tenants, or use online tools such as Google Translate or Microsoft Translator to generate translations. You can also use subtitles, captions, or voice-overs for your audiovisual materials. For your events, workshops, or meetings, you can offer simultaneous or consecutive interpretation, or use devices such as headphones or tablets to facilitate communication.

5 Celebrate diversity and culture

Finally, you can make your tenant education and engagement programs accessible by celebrating the diversity and culture of your tenant community. You can organize events or activities that showcase the different languages, traditions, cuisines, arts, or music of your tenants. You can also encourage them to share their stories, skills, or talents with each other. By creating a positive and respectful environment, you can foster a sense of belonging and connection among your tenants, regardless of their language background.