Unity Works Social Enterprises ’s Post

It's Purple Tuesday and an ideal opportunity to review your processes, practices, premises and approach to better support disabled customers. Here are some examples to make spaces, services and experiences more inclusive and accessible: ✔ Clear content - Use plain language and structure content with clear headings, bullet points, and alt text for images to improve readability. Provide captions for video content and transcripts for audio content. ✔ Physical spaces - Provide ramps, automatic doors, and unobstructed pathways and ensure these are kept clutter-free. Provide seating and counters at appropriate heights. ✔ Staff training - Train staff about different types of disabilities (physical, sensory, cognitive, etc.) and how to support respectfully and effectively. Teach staff to communicate directly with disabled customers, be patient, and ask if they are unsure of how to help. ✔ Payment and checkout - Make sure that online and in-store checkout processes are easy to use with assistive devices. Ensure point-of-sale systems and card readers are positioned at accessible heights. ✔ Policy and culture - Make accessibility a priority at all levels of your organisation. Create a policy on accessibility that outlines your commitment, and ensure everyone is aware of your standards and commitments. #PurpleTuesday #DisabilityAware #VulnerableCustomers

𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞=𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲? A community is a group of people who share common interests, goals, or characteristics and come together to support, interact, and collaborate with one another. It's a network of individuals bound by geographic proximity, shared values, cultural heritage, or other factors. Communities can be small, like a neighborhood, or large, like a city or even a global online community. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬? Celebrating communities involves recognizing and honoring the diversity, culture, and contributions of its members. We need to provide opportunities for people to come together, showcase their unique traditions, customs, and cuisines, and learn about each other's backgrounds. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬: 1. 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬:  Dance, music, theater, and other artistic expressions that represent the diverse heritage of the community. 2. 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬:  A chance to savor dishes from different cultures, allowing people to experience new flavors and culinary traditions. 3. 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Opportunities for people to learn traditional crafts, skills, or practices from various cultures. 4. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Colorful displays that showcase the vibrant spirit and pride of different ethnic or interest groups. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐬: Discussions and panels where people can engage in meaningful conversations about important issues affecting the community. 6. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Fundraisers or initiatives aimed at giving back to the community or supporting those in need.

This summer, through the many exciting events that happen throughout the city, one thing has stood out over and over again: the unfortunate lack of access information around events! When we don’t communicate accessibility information up-front or expect people to ask, we leave out so many valuable and wonderful people. It does not have to be a “disability” event to centre accessibility- we (disabled people) are everywhere! Here are some tips for communicating access information: Promotional material should have access information clearly stated. If there’s no wheelchair accessible bathroom, make sure you communicate that up front so disabled folks can plan accordingly. Don’t make the mistake of exclusively including a blank space on a form where people can add in any accommodations. This sends the message (and continues the unfortunate norm) that disabled folk’s accommodations are one-off “changes”, rather than something that is actively centred. While one-off accommodations can be so necessary, focusing our efforts on creating a culture and environment of accessibility benefits everyone. I’ll be sure to make a post elaborating on this someday soon. Start with access at the centre! This will communicate that you care about the attendance and comfort of disabled folks. When we plan our events for the Halifax Bisexual+ Network, we think about accessibility in the original brainstorming of locations. We think about sensory experiences (is it really loud?) and we think about physical experiences (are there washrooms nearby? is it near public transit? is there a ramp?) before confirming a place to hold an event. We build in things such as ensuring volunteers are around to facilitate the comfort of more shy & quiet participants, and we create things like “convo cards” to rest at tables to help folks with coming up with discussion ideas. If you hold events/trainings/workshops/spaces, what are some things you do to communicate accessibility?

Spaces to foster connection and creativity within communities are there, but sometimes access to power to decide how these spaces are utilised isn't. And often people's imaginations for their community spaces have been quashed to near non existence from no or limited access to this power. 📸 A photo came up on my phone from 5 years ago of a Community Cinema night that we would run monthly on a Friday. - 50 to 60 people would come along, whole families, solo viewers, couples, a mixed bag of folk that lived in surrounding streets. - We would redesign the reception area into a cinema with popcorn, a red carpet and a lovely atmosphere. - Thankfully Jodie Armour dealt with the technical side of things which is definitely not my skillset! - And if I remember correctly Ryan Davidson and/or Rory Brown talked me through their set up they had over in Govan at the time (thanks again!). ❤️ Being imaginative in place is something I love about an asset-based community development approach: 💡A reception area turned in to a cinema? Why not. 💡A roofless ruin in a community garden turned in to a community lunch come workshop come storytelling come tomato growing space? Let's do it! 💡Pavements as an artspace? Yes! 💡Trees home to a photo exhibition? Lovely. 💡A path in a woodland a place for dancerise? Yeehaa! 💡An absolute shell of a play park turned in to a green space for cartwheels and picnics? I know just the fund... Listening and developing opportunities for imaginations to go from quashed to flourishing is a joy. And then there's the next bit... Being imaginative in place makes it easier for critical conversations and curiosity, like: 👉 who decides how we use this space? 👉 where in our community are these decisions made? 👉 as I've been involved in reviving this space, where else can I get involved? 👉 why am I not asked about what happens in my area? 👉why have certain areas been left to become play park shells? ⭐ how do I use my power as a citizen to affect change in my place? I have definitely got caught up doing the first bit that I've not given as much attention to the next bit. But when I have it's reminded me that imaginative practice can lead to community power, for sure. #AssetBasedCommunityDevelopment #Imagination #CommunityPower

I bet you NEVER have to consider ALL the following when preparing for a conference: ❓ Is there step-free access? ❓ Are there disabled parking bays? (And how many?) ❓ As historic houses often have narrow hallways and doors that don’t accommodate wheelchairs, what kind of building is it? ❓ How will the room be laid out so I can move easily in my wheelchair? ❓ Are the accessible toilets nearby? ❓ What kind of lifts are available? (Many small museums lifts require assistance to open the doors and use: not great for autonomy and independence for the user) ❓ Is there an accessible stage setup? (Small, behind-the-stage areas often aren’t designed to allow disabled access easily) ❓ If there are no automatic doors, is someone available to help me open them? ❓ Can anyone to help me grab food at lunch? (As I can’t move my wheelchair and hold my food) Well, I do have to think about all of that. And this isn’t even the full list! However, some places understand how difficult it can be for people with disabilities. When I was getting ready for my workshops at Royal Armouries Museum in June, they asked about dietary needs and how to support my accessibility needs. It was refreshing not to have all the legwork (pun intended) fall on me! For this event, I simply requested vegetarian options and a few of the above accessibility checks. And WOW their second response was even more incredible. Alison Needham and Mark Bennett, nailed it with a detailed response: ✅ Confirmed lifts and emergency proceedures. ✅ Shared that event host [Mark Bennett] will check lifts before 8:30am. ✅ We’ll reserve seating in the workshop and space tables for easy mobility. ✅ Opening doors and lunch assistance? No problem. ✅ Disabled bay parking’s booked and sorted too! 💜 What a legendary response! 💜 Talk about feeling included and valued. This kind of proactive support shows how to ace inclusion for guest speakers. Thank you Alison and Mark. Other organisations - please take note! 🗒️ Read more about how you can make your workshops and speaking events more accessible in my recent blog (link in comments), which also details Alison’s response in full. #ConferencePrep #Inclusion #AccessibilityMatters #GuestSpeakerTips

I've noticed photos from events and galas where the stairs look like the star as a celebrity dressed to the nines stands on them. I wondered if it was a problem. Maayan Ziv must've read my mind. She answered my question. "As a wheelchair user I'm honestly so over the #MetGala glorifying a staircase," she tweeted. Then she followed it with these tweets. "As a society we are still celebrating exclusionary design in 2024 which has tremendous impacts on the way disabled people are viewed and 'valued' and how we internalize that experience within ourselves. #MetGala" "By celebrating a grand entrance of stairs, @voguemagazine is loudly comfortable professing that 'disabled people are not welcome here.' "That’s what the #MetGala staircase says to me as a wheelchair user who loves fashion: 'you, wheelchair user, could never.'" I know quite a few disabled folks who adore fashion. Some of them are fashion influencers! Met Gala needs to follow this example from an event that someone told me about. While the event had cool stairs, they also beautifully decorated passageways and a fancy and accessible entrance. Most of the fancy entrance-style photos came from the accessible entrance. I just attended a nonprofit's gala. Every single space was accessible for photo opportunities. No stairs! They even have a stage about 18 inches tall with a ramp in the back as this image shows. A small podium is in front of the stage as a person speaks. Hollywood has many red-carpet events that don't have stairs. (Not that I can see on TV.) It can be done! This is 2024. Universal design should be the standard. Is it so hard to think of universal design and celebrate in multiple spaces that are accessible to all? 👉 Follow #MerylMots for past posts 🔔 Tap the silent profile bell to catch the next post #Accessibility #Inclusion #Events

Interesting article here on removing all unnecessary barriers on PROW. Generally agree as long as areas where routes need to be stock proof existing structures kept or more inclusive ones put in. All needs more funding and ongoing funding as PROW have always done. What are your thoughts?

Great share by Taylor R. Yeomans on the importance of #Accessibility being 1st when planning an #event to ensure all are #Welcome vs an #accommodation . Make it part of your planning strategy for your #events.

Today, on #WorldAutismAwarenessDay, we commit to creating inclusive spaces where every individual is valued for their unique strengths and contributions. #WorldAutismDay #WorldAutismDay2024

Warm weather is here and with it comes a multitude of festivals and cultural events to be hosted in communities across #Massachusetts this summer. To help ensure your events center access for people with disabilities, here are 10 ways to think about providing an inclusive experience. This is by no means a comprehensive list – or legal advice – but merely a first step in the direction of access by design. #PowerOfCulture #ThinkUP