When translating the jargon helps
Jargon are words or phrases that mean something to a particular group of people. This means that people who are not in the group don’t understand. It is easy to accidentally use jargon without realising it as we are often in situations with people who are like us, and we assume that they will understand. We get used to explaining things in a certain way often without questioning if we are using jargon.
Reboot brings together people from many different groups and avoiding jargon is a key part of making sure everyone can take part. We’ve also found that jargon can be a barrier to getting help. As part of our research into young people’s journeys of homelessness, we invited young people who had been homeless to take part. This invited included a definition of homelessness:
Being homeless means sleeping in a place temporarily because you didn’t have a permanent place to stay. This includes couch surfing; staying with your friends, family, or strangers; in a homeless shelter; or supported housing project.
Providing an explanation of homelessness led to many more young people getting in touch than we had previously had. Some of these young people were needing help with accommodation. It reminded us of how easy it is to use jargon and the impact this can have.
