The council began the process in Liverpool's Collimore Park last year, and it intends to install further communication boards in other locations across the city in the future.
According to Mayor of Liverpool Wendy Waller, the boards can boost the interaction and social experience between people from all backgrounds and of all abilities. She added:
“Through simple pictorials that represent words and activities as well as Braille, anyone with a disability or anyone facing language barriers or limited expressive abilities can use the communication board to show what they would like to do and express how they feel.”
Waller said communication boards assist in sparking conversation, social opportunities and interactions bereft of any problems, such as language. Within Greater Sydney, the Liverpool area is considered to have a higher percentage of people whose preferred language at home is not English.
Flyer printing campaigns have often been undertaken in various languages to ensure council information is available to the broader community.
The availability of non-verbal tools for communication, such as the boards, was welcomed by Maree Stewart, a local resident, who said they give more options to children of all ages to interact with others.
An idea developed in conjunction with the Autism Support and Advisory Service, the communication boards were made possible through the Stronger Communities Federal Government programme.