Partner with Global Symbols on Funded Projects

Include AAC users in your project outcomes

Global Symbols welcomes opportunities to join funded projects, research programmes, innovation initiatives and partnership proposals that aim to improve access, participation and inclusion for people with communication support needs.

We work with partners to integrate the development, dissemination and practical use of symbols, pictograms, accessible information and Augmentative and Alternative Communication resources into project design and delivery.

Our focus is simple: funded projects should not only talk about inclusion. They should create outcomes that AAC users can understand, use, influence and benefit from.

Why include Global Symbols in your proposal?

Many projects seek to engage disabled people, families, learners, service users or community members. However, people who use AAC or who need symbol-supported communication are often excluded from consultation, training, dissemination and evaluation because project materials are too text-heavy, inaccessible or culturally inappropriate.

Global Symbols can help projects address this gap.

We bring experience in:

Creating and adapting symbols for different languages, cultures and communities.

Developing symbol-supported and Easy Read information.

Supporting AAC users to understand, participate in and contribute to project activities.

Designing communication resources for consultation, training, co-production and dissemination.

Using open-licensed symbol resources to increase reach, reuse and sustainability.

Supporting inclusive digital tools, including Symbol Creator AI.

Working with partners across disability, education, health, research, technology and international development.

How we can contribute to funded projects

Global Symbols can be included as a project partner, subcontractor, technical advisor or dissemination partner. Our role can be shaped to match the aims, scale and funding requirements of the proposal.

We can support projects by:

Developing symbol-supported versions of key project materials.

Creating new symbols and visual vocabularies linked to the project theme.

Adapting communication resources for local languages, cultures and contexts.

Supporting co-design and consultation with AAC users and people with communication support needs.

Producing accessible information for participants, families, practitioners and communities.

Helping project teams communicate findings in formats that are easier to understand and share.

Embedding AAC and symbol-supported communication within training, toolkits, guidance and project outputs.

Supporting dissemination through the Global Symbols platform and wider networks.

Advising on accessibility, inclusion, ethics and participation for people with communication support needs.

Areas of interest

We are especially interested in proposals and initiatives that focus on:

Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Disability inclusion and participation.

Inclusive education and lifelong learning.

Accessible information and Easy Read communication.

Assistive technology and inclusive digital tools.

Health, care and community support.

Human rights, independent living and self-advocacy.

Inclusive artificial intelligence and ethical technology.

Communication access in low-resource settings.

Multilingual and culturally responsive symbol development.

Projects may be local, national, regional or international. We are particularly interested in partnerships that create practical, reusable resources that can continue to benefit communities after the funded project ends.

What this adds to your proposal

Including Global Symbols can strengthen a proposal by showing a clear commitment to communication access, user participation and inclusive dissemination.

Our contribution can help funders see how your project will:

Reach people who are often excluded from mainstream engagement.

Support the participation of AAC users and people with communication support needs.

Produce accessible outputs that are easier to understand, translate, adapt and reuse.

Build practical tools and resources with long-term value.

Improve equality, accessibility and inclusion across the project lifecycle.

Demonstrate credible methods for co-production and accessible communication.

Working together from the start

The strongest projects consider communication access from the earliest stages of design. We are happy to work with potential partners during proposal development to identify where symbols, AAC resources, Easy Read materials and accessible dissemination can add value.

This may include helping to shape work packages, deliverables, methods, budgets, impact plans and dissemination strategies.

Invite us to join your proposal

If you are developing a funded project or initiative and want to make sure AAC users and people with communication support needs are included in the outcomes, we would welcome a conversation.

Global Symbols can help you build communication access into your project from the beginning and create outputs that are more inclusive, practical and sustainable.

To discuss a proposal, partnership or funded initiative, please contact Global Symbols through our website.

Together, we can create projects that do more than include people in principle. We can create projects that give people the tools to understand, participate, communicate and be heard.