Ensuring access is an active and ongoing practice. You will likely not get everything right every time, and that's ok. Learn from your mistakes and develop a process for ongoing dialogue, feedback, reflection, and changes that can be implemented immediately or will need to be implemented in the future.
Event Staff/Volunteer Roles On-site
Ensure all staff and volunteers on site are trained.
Hospitality Team: If participants or presenters are coming from a distance, consider having support (access staff/volunteers and/or other locals) at the airport and/or train stations to support transit.
Access support staff/volunteers are visible and available (consider a t-shirt or lanyard to identify them).
Information or help desk is staffed throughout the event.
Staff perform safety checks of restrooms and access checks on elevators and automated doors (before and ongoing during the event).
Staff or volunteers are posted at accessible parking and drop off areas and available to help at arrival and departure times.
Meal support staff/volunteers: Available during meal times to provide audio description of food choices and ingredients.
Staff or volunteers are posted in hallways during transitions to support wayfinding.
Hospitality:
Schedule meet and greet opportunities.
Sunflower lanyards (representing invisible disabilities) available and staff/volunteers trained on their meaning.
Help/Information Desk has schedules/timetables for the event in digital and printed formats (including large print).
Ongoing, organized, and open opportunities for check in, debrief, feedback, and reflection/evaluation from attendees.
Once the Event Begins
At the beginning of the event (and once per day if it's a multi-day event):
Introduce staff, Access Coordinator, volunteers, etc. Include brief visual descriptions.
Accessibility Coordinator/Access Staff: contact info available to all participants. Remains on site and available throughout the event.
Share daily:
What access supports and accommodations are available.
Check in to see if any additional supports are needed (provide these as possible).
Where is the quiet/low sensory space?
Where to find headphones/fidgets.
Share alternatives to lines or cues for those who are unable to stand for long periods.
Share Community Agreements.
Community Agreements Example (from Working Group meetings):
Respect each other.
Radical listening: Listen to listen as opposed to listening to respond. We often miss a lot of what the person has originally said.
Non judgemental - come with an open mind and learn from one another.
Take time - not everyone is in the same space and place.
Allow for silence.
If anyone doesn’t understand something it is ok to ask someone to repeat themselves.
It is safe to ask questions and it is ok not to know.
Navigation:
Clear signage posted.
Volunteers or staff available to support wayfinding.
Perform safety checks and ensure pathways are clear of obstructions and crowds.
Reserved seating for people with disabilities.
Elevator/ramp access (clearly label and verbally describe how to access).
Meals and Snacks
Clearly label all food ingredients and avoid foods that attendees have severe allergies to.
Outdoor eating and break space available (covered area to prevent weather impacts).
Daily Debrief
At the middle and end of each day, schedule time for formal and informal check ins with staff, access service providers, participants, and volunteers.
Consider the following questions in your debrief:
What went well?
What was challenging?
Were there times when access needs weren't met? If so, what can you shift going forward?
What changes do we want to make to ensure everyone feels supported and their access needs are met?
Event Evaluation and Follow up
Send acknowledgement of participants, presenters, and volunteers.
Accessible digital surveys sent to participants for open feedback including questions related to event accessibility.
Consider:
How will data from survey and participant/presenter feedback be used?
What will your team debrief look like?