In October 2023, our co-founder, Joey, was at a cafe when she noticed a young boy who was non-verbal repeatedly tapping on the glass in an attempt to communicate. While those around him were unsure of what he was trying to express, only his father understood what he wanted.

The moment reminded her of the children she worked with who used Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems to express themselves. It made her realise that while these children often had the tools to communicate during therapy or at school, those supports were rarely available in the community. Without a shared communication system, everyday interactions could quickly become frustrating and isolating.

Joey spoke with the boy's father and shared an idea of introducing communication boards into everyday places such as food areas, playgrounds, and parks. He warmly responded, "Yeah, sure!" and shared more about his child’s communication.

That conversation became the catalyst for what is now the NParks Inclusive Communication Pilot: an initiative born from the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to communicate, connect, and belong in the places they experience every day.

Singapore has made significant strides in creating inclusive playgrounds through features that support physical, visual, and sensory accessibility. However, communication accessibility remains an important gap.

Individuals who are non-verbal or have communication differences may still face challenges expressing themselves, interacting with others, and participating fully.

The NParks Inclusive Communication Pilot seeks to bridge this gap by introducing AAC communication boards into playgrounds, complementing existing accessibility features and enabling more meaningful participation for individuals with communication differences.

It marks the first step towards making Singapore's public parks and playgrounds more accessible for children of all communication abilities.

While the boards are an essential tool for some children, they are designed to be used by everyone. Friends, siblings, parents, and caregivers can explore them together, creating opportunities for shared play, interaction, and connection. By encouraging individuals with different communication abilities to engage with one another, the pilot also fosters greater understanding, empathy, and inclusion.

While this pilot begins in parks and playgrounds, we hope it inspires communication accessibility across many more community spaces in the future.