The following article will help you plan accessibility into your events as a society. 

This section includes:

• Choosing an accessible venue
• Accessibility during your event (including the different types of accessibility you will need to consider)
• Advertising your event 

When should accessibility be considered during event planning? Accessibility should be considered in the planning stages for events, not after the event is arranged​. It is much harder to add accessibility features to the event after it has already been arranged.​ Remember that building accessibility into the planning will make it easier, cheaper, and less stressful for all involved. ​

Choosing An Accessible Venue

To help determine whether a venue you are considering booking is accessible, ask yourself the following:

• Is the entrance step free?
• Do you have accessible toilets? If so, what features does it have?
• Is there level/ lift access to all parts of the venue?
• Are there induction loops?
• Are Guide dogs allowed?
• Is there parking nearby?
• Do you need a ramp? You can book one here

For further information on accessible venues, please see the links below: 

• AccessAble - A website which details the accessibility of many public places. 
• Sociability- an app helping disabled people find accessible places 
• Accessible Pubs in Devon -  Pubs in Devon with Disabled Access (inapub.co.uk)
• Accessible Places on Streatham Campus - Accessibility on Streatham Campus | Campuses and visitors | University of Exeter 

Accessibility During Your Event

There are different types of accessibility that you will need to consider. In this section, we will explore considerations for:

1. Physical accessibility
2. Fatigue accessibility
3. Sensory accessibility
4. Mental health accessibility

1) Physical Accessibility

A physical disability is... 

• Any condition that impacts a person’s physical abilities
• May require the use of mobility aids
• Not necessarily visible
• Depending on the cause, physical disabilities may be dynamic, i.e. accessibility needs may change day to day

Considerations to make when planning your event...

• Interior Accessibility: Are aisles between tables narrowed and cluttered? Are interior doors and hallways wide enough? Are the tables too tall or too short? Do stages have ramps?
• Accessible bathrooms: Make sure to disclose accessible bathrooms in event disclosures. 
• Accessible Routes: It is pointless for the venue to be accessible if the route to get there is inaccessible. For example, an event held at the bottom of Fore Street would not be accessible because the hill is too steep to be safely navigated by a wheelchair user.
• Seating: People with invisible disabilities may need seats to properly participate
• Entrances: Accessible entrances need to be easy for the disabled person to find and navigate. Entrances may be level access, have elevators, or use ramps. The Guild has a movable ramp which societies can book for events here.

2) Fatigue Accessibility 

When a person has chronic fatigue, they may have to manage their energy carefully. Energy levels are dynamic and could vary on different days. 

Considerations to make when planning your event...

• Host some of your events indoors
• Choose lower energy activities (Cafe trips, craft nights, low energy nature walks)
• Do cognitively challenging tasks in groups
• Provide detailed instructions for tasks

3) Sensory Accessibility 

Sensory overwhelm occurs when a person’s sensory system is overwhelmed by stimuli, e.g. loud noise, bright or flashing lights, large crowds, strong smells, strange textures, being touched. The person may become non-verbal and may struggle to communicate being overwhelmed, which can result in physical and psychological harm to the person. The person may need supports like stim toys, ear defenders, and sensory tools.

Considerations to make when planning your event...

• Avoid large crowds
• Play quiet or no background music
• Use dimmer lighting
• Have a quiet recovery space
• Allow members to stim
• Designate a committee member to support the welfare of members during a social event
• Allow members to enter and leave freely

4) Mental Health Accessibility 

A mental health condition is a medical illness that significantly disrupts how a person thinks, feels, behaves, or interacts with others.

Considerations to make when planning your event... 

• Provide content warnings where necessary (in the event listing, at the start of the event and just before the triggering content)
• Provide detailed explanations of what will happen at the event, including real photos of different parts of the event, e.g. menus, venue, activity
• Allow people to enter and leave freely
• Do not force participation
• Hide calories if possible and do not comment on what/how much someone eats

If you are hosting an event with alcohol...

• Identify the sober committee member at events to everyone 
• Do walking buses to and from events 
• Encourage society members to tell a friend if they leave early 

Advertising Your Event

When advertising your event and selling tickets, make sure you are doing the following:

1. Preemptively advertise accessibility features that you have included in your event planning.​
2. Invite members to share their accessibility needs, making it clear that your society is trying to be inclusive – some people might be uncomfortable speaking about their access needs.​ Remember, it is important that you make it clear why you are asking for this information and that it will be used; only ask for information you need to know and store members' responses securely to ensure your society is being GDPR safe (you can learn more about GDPR here). 

Include an Accessibility Statement

When posting about an event, it is helpful to include an accessibility statement. Accessibility statements (sometimes also referred to as an Accessibility Disclaimer) state what accessible or inaccessible features an event has. Statements can be written in the description of an event and demonstrated with accessibility icons on any event promotion material.

You can access an Accessibility Statement Generator, linked here. 

Accessibility icons are visual symbols that indicate the presence of accessible facilities or assistive features. Common examples include the wheelchair symbol, audio description indicators, and sign language graphics. You can find accessibility icons and a guide for making your social media accessible here.