Another national campaign is running right now: Support Literacy and Numeracy in Indigenous Communities, led by @Officeworks and collaboratively with ALNF. While this post is not an attack on a campaign that has been running successfully for over 13 years - it is however, a comment on an approach that has grown outdated and needs nudging, if not pushing, into awareness.
https://www.officeworks.com.
The aim is to motivate donations by pulling on our heartstrings — and our sense of responsibility. On the surface it is positive and well meaning campaign, uplifting even.
I feel it is important to discuss and show how we can support communities without reinforcing ableist narratives. This isn't about focusing on mistakes, it is about always taking steps to getting stronger and better with what we know.
Difference does not need to be made the same. An inability to do something does not automatically mean a person needs to fix it.
Autonomy is best supported by:
* listening to people's experiences,
* responding to needs when possible and
* providing choices rather than imposing solutions
So, with that in mind, let's take a closer look at a few of the slogans:
Numeracy opens doors.
One in three kids don’t read well.
When a kid starts school behind, they stay behind.
Most people would read these and nod along. They sound irrefutable. But that’s the trap: they are crafted to be accepted without question. And when you pause to consider them through an inclusion lens, the problems are obvious.
1. Shame as a motivator
Imagine being the child who reads that you are “behind” and therefore destined to “be left behind.” That’s not encouragement — that’s a sentence. These words carry a hidden instruction: no matter how hard you try, you won’t catch up. That’s debilitating, not motivating.
2. Doors don’t open with literacy alone
I was hyperlexic as a child. I read early, I could articulate thoughts quickly. Did that open doors? No. It alienated me. Having “too much” or “too little” of any skill is not the point. What matters is whether you are understood — whether what you express is respected, listened to, and welcomed. That’s what opens doors.
3. Deficit lens vs. systemic support
“One in three kids don’t read well.” Maybe so. But one in three adults may not either. Where is the investment in multimodal access? Voice-to-text tools. Storytelling platforms. Visual and auditory resources. Community-driven ways of sharing knowledge. Reading is not the only doorway to contribution, culture, and connection.
4. Ableist narratives
As an Inclusions Consultant, I see how these slogans reinforce ableist and deficit-oriented lenses. They place the “problem” inside the child rather than questioning the systems that fail to adapt. They position parents to be embarrassed of their child and ashamed of their parenting. They suggest literacy and numeracy are the only valid measures of potential. They shame difference instead of celebrating the many ways people learn, communicate, and thrive.
Reframing the Slogans
Slogan 1: “When a kid starts school behind, they get left behind.”
YIKES!: This frames learning as a race with winners and losers. It tells children their starting point defines their future.
YES!: “Every child learns at their own pace — support helps everyone move forward.”
YES!: “We have tools that help access learning, to help you get where you want to grow.”
Slogan 2: “Numeracy opens doors.”
YIKES!: Suggests that without numbers, doors stay locked. It ignores creativity, storytelling, art, relationships, and other ways doors open.
YES!: “Communities thrive when all kinds of knowledge are valued.”
YES!: “1 - 2 - 3 : Come and see all the ways we count, hold, measure and add”
Slogan 3: “One in three kids don’t read well.”
YIKES!: Positions children as a statistic, focusing on deficit and failure.
YES!: “We like hearing stories and making sure messages can be told and heard.”
YES!: “Let’s create access to stories, voices, and knowledge for every learner.”
Facing the Capitalist Reality
Yes, I know I know. There is a reality to face. These campaigns are primarily alive and driven by capitalism, altruism or compassion alone doesn't pay the bills.
Fundraising slogans are crafted to maximise profit flow, not necessarily to expand inclusion. But that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. There is an abundance of possibility to design campaigns that both make money and expand the world for more people.
I mean, even if I didn't expand any further, sure you can see a hundred gluey notes promo opportunities for 'read and write' more aim!
Imagine if, instead of shame-based slogans, companies like Officeworks organised:
Discounted text reader tools in-store, paired with activity treasure hunts for teens and adults, or family kits donated to libraries. These would show the everyday ease and benefit of having a text reader at home.
Activity workshops for all ages, exploring talk-to-text tools on Saturdays. Lots of people like playing. Grandparents like playing with their grandchildren, adults like playing with new tech toys, some children like competitive play and others like search and find treasure hunts. Voice to text programs (beyond AI or ChatGPT) could be demonstrated as fun and practical while being inclusive because the choice of 'having a go' is open to everyone.
And here’s the thing: these tools are not just for people who “struggle to read.” They help people with vision impairment, connective tissue disorders, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, ADHD — anyone who wants to read at a pace that works for them or anyone who wants to pause and play without the exhaustion of finding the pause and go back 10 sec button on audio books or podcasts!
The Takeaway
Inclusive practices always expand the world.
Even for those motivated purely by profit, there is no loss here.
The path forward is simple:
- Get familiar, better still get critical, with what is ableist.
- Audit and actively stop deficit and problem-based thinking.
- Practice, practice, practice opportunity-driven, expansive thinking and marketing.
That’s where the real doors open.
