disabilitiesOften people with disabilities are intimidated or unlikely to involve themselves with many organisations as they are not sure how accessible or disabled friendly the organisation is.  This not only applies to the general public who may want to access your premises and services but also staff and volunteers who work for your organisation.  As such, making your organisation more accessible may not be as difficult as first thought.  Here are 7 ways to make your organisation more accessible for people with disabilities.

  • If you have a car park, designate one or two spaces for disabled drivers that are close to the entrance.  Make sure they are clearly marked and the local council can assist with line marking and signage.
  • Is your main entrance easily accessible?  If so, make sure there is a sign that indicates this or indicate that another entrance is more suitable.  If not, is there another entrance on the property that could be easily accessible?  You may find there is a side entrance that is more suitable for people with wheelchairs.  If an alternative entrance is used ensure you have a bell that can be easily pressed that will allow staff to provide assistance.
  • Ensure you have easily readable signs that clearly indicate your organisation is accessible by people with disabilities.  This should not just be for external purposes but also internal purposes such as indicating where toilets allow wheelchair access.
  • Review your website to see whether changes could be made.  For example, review color combinations and the size of text so people with poor vision can still read your website.  Consider having audio information that can easily be listened to.
  • When you promote events, activities or programs on your website or through publications include whether they can are suitable and accessible for people with disabilities.
  • Make sure staff receive training in relation to how to engage and interact with people with disabilities.
  • For staff and volunteers with disabilities consider the need to be more flexible.  For example, this may mean having variable working hours, different start and end times, providing special equipment or allowing extra time off to attend medical or therapy treatments. 

These are just some ways to make your organisation more accessible for people with disabilities but there are a lot more that could be implemented depending on your organisation and the programs, events and activities that are provided.  As a starting point, undertake a form of review and audit and while at first you may think your organisation is not very accessible for people with disabilities by following some of the points detailed above you may find there are some things that can be implemented almost immediately.

Also, often federal, state, local and philanthropic organisations provide funding and grants that can be applied for to make your organisation more accessible for people with disabilities so where possible consider applying for these funds.