At Empowering Women and Girls, we set out to deliver local community programmes across five countries, reaching women and girls facing a range of barriers, including persons with disabilities. Through this work, we have developed resources, gathered insights from our partners and communities, and continued our learning journey toward creating more accessible and inclusive experiences.

Accessibility is not something that should be added at the end of programme planning. It is an important part of designing activities where everyone can participate, contribute and feel welcome. Whether you are planning a training, consultation, workshop or community event, these ten tips can help you make your next activity more accessible.

• Embed inclusion and accessibility in the entire planning process. Integrate inclusion and accessibility into your event design, decision-making and planning processes from the earliest stages of your planning process. Review any legal requirements or government or organisational policies relating to creating accessible programmes, events and activities. Discuss the design with advisory committees, OPDs or persons with disabilities. Be sure to connect in a way that is respectful and prioritises the voices and agency of persons with disabilities.

• Allocate part of the budget for accommodation requests. Be sure to allocate part of the project budget for accommodation requests such as sign language interpretation or ramp. Having capacity and funds set aside ensures you can provide accomodations that are requested by participants.

• Visit physical spaces to assess their accessibility. Be sure to visit the physical space where you plan to hold the event to understand what barriers it may present. Ask for information about the accessibility standards of the space, such as accessible washrooms, ramps or accessible doors. Select physical spaces that have built-in accessibility features, where possible.

• Review which online tools are most appropriate for the event, if hosting online. You will likely use one of the common online tools to host the event, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Consider the participants’ accessibility needs and their ability to use your chosen tool.

• Ask if individuals need accommodation to participate when they register. On the registration form, have a dedicated question or feedback area where participants can list any accommodations or specific items they need to participate. Include details about how you will follow up on this information.

• Ensure communication and learning material is accessible. Ensure materials use large, clear fonts, is high contrast and uses alt text for images. Consider including Universal Access Symbols to indicate accessibility features of the event. Make sure any printed materials use high-contrast colours and an easy-to-read font. Consider providing handouts in a range of formats, including braille and large print. Use close captioning for any video media.

• Ask speakers and presenters to be descriptive. Have each speaker state their name, role and organisation before they begin their presentation. If a presenter is using a slide deck or sharing visuals on a screen, ask them to describe the image. This makes the content more inclusive for persons with visual impairments or blindness.

• Modify any learning or engagement activities so that everyone can participate fully. Ensure that any activities that require audience engagement offer multiple ways to participate. For example, if there is an open question and answer session, consider ways for individuals to share questions in advance, use a tool on the day to submit questions, and ask questions directly.

• Let participants navigate the experience at their own pace. Let participants know they can attend to their own needs throughout the day, such as taking bathroom breaks or sitting in a quiet space for some time. Consider ways in which participants may want to move or sit in the space, and provide a range of seating options, for example.

• Gather feedback from participants so you can improve. Be sure to gather feedback about the event from the participants, including their suggestions about how you can improve for the future. If you send out a survey, ensure the survey tool is accessible for people who use screen readers or keyboard navigation aids. Be sure to get feedback from the planning team and any folks you consulted with.

Creating accessible community programmes isn't about having a perfect checklist. It is about being intentional, listening to people with different experiences and continuously looking for ways to remove barriers to participation. Starting with even one of these tips can help make your next community programming event more accessible.

Want to learn more about accessibility and inclusion?

Explore our Advocating for Inclusion and Disability Rights: A Toolkit for Community Organisations.