💬 Creating Inclusive Spaces: Spotlight on South Ayrshire Communication Friendly Environments (SACFE)

Celine Dyer
Jun 18, 2025
2 min read

At NEST, we’re proud to highlight local services doing incredible work to support inclusion and accessibility.

One shining example is the South Ayrshire Communication Friendly Environments (SACFE) project — a community-led initiative making communication easier and more effective for everyone.

🗣️ What is SACFE?

SACFE is led by a dedicated team consisting of a Speech and Language Therapist and a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant, working in partnership with South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership. Their goal is to support communication across all community settings — ensuring that services are welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for individuals of all ages and communication styles.

They do this by helping organisations across South Ayrshire become Communication Friendly Environments — spaces that support interaction, understanding, and connection for everyone, but especially those with speech, language, and communication needs.

🧠 What Makes an Environment Communication Friendly?

A Communication Friendly Environment focuses on reducing barriers to communication through thoughtful design and inclusive practices.

This includes:

Signage with words and symbols to support navigation
Visual supports like menus, boards, and Makaton to aid understanding
Total Communication training for staff, including non-verbal communication and language strategies
Everyday communication techniques, like pausing for processing time, breaking down information, and getting to eye level when speaking

These tools and strategies make communication easy, effective, and enjoyable — creating welcoming spaces where everyone can thrive.

🏅 Working Towards Accreditation

The SACFE Communities Team supports community venues like:

Health and primary care settings
Local businesses and cafés
Voluntary groups and charities
Playgroups and leisure venues

Once a setting completes SACFE’s process, they receive official accreditation, a Communication Friendly plaque, and a spot on the South Ayrshire Communication Friendly map, helping people easily identify accessible spaces.

Current accredited settings include: