Take One Challenge
Thursday, 20th May 2021 is Global Accessibility Awareness Day – GAAD.
The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion.
Difference is supporting GAAD by asking you to participate in our Take One Challenge.
Take just one action between now and 20th May to improve accessibility, either as an individual or an organisation – no matter how small.
Looking for some ideas on how to make accessibility improvements?
Here are a few. You might also want to check the Global Accessibility Awareness Day Website for some great resources and events.
Develop your team
- There is lots of great accessibility guidance and training out there – why not ask each of your colleagues to update their knowledge on one aspect of accessibility and share with the rest of the team?
- Take a look at the great resources on the Enhance The UK and AbilityNet websites
- Ask your disabled colleagues and customers about any difficulties they have using your website, forms or online documents
Develop your corporate style
- Make sure your house style is inclusive and accessible
- Talk to your marketing team about accessible design and make sure your guidance on fonts, colours and logos includes accessibility, e.g. Does it stipulate a minimum font size? Does it state that all images should have an image description?
Update your documents
- Take a document from your website and update it to improve accessibility
- Use an in-built accessibility checker, like the Microsoft Accessibility Checker
Make your website more inclusive
- You don’t necessarily need a whole new website – you will be able to make small improvements which add up to a much more inclusive design
- Remove clutter – simple, clear and clean is better for everyone
- Check all your images have an Alt Text description
- Add captions, or a transcript, to any videos on your website
Still not sure what to do or need further advice – talk to us and we can point you in the right direction.
When you have taken your action, drop us an email or send us a video to tell us about it: richard@differencenortheast.org.uk
Letter to North East MPs
We have written to all of the region’s MPs, making them aware of our work and seeking their support to progress disability equality across all areas of life.
Our letter highlights the disadvantages faced by disabled people in many important areas, and asks that discussions on recovery and ‘levelling up’ take account of the needs and rights of disabled people.
Disability Strategy
In December 2020, Difference submitted the following letter to the Government’s Disability Unit, outlining our priorities for the new national Disability Strategy.
We had some serious concerns about the consultation process, which we felt was under-resourced and did not adequately involve Disabled People’s Organisations.
Manifesto for a Better Normal
The Coronavirus crisis has been a terrible, damaging time for many disabled people in our region. The impact has been felt in many ways – physical, mental and financial. However, this period has also opened up some new ways of delivering services and introduced new ways of working that are more accessible for many disabled people.
As we head into a huge recession, with backlogs in healthcare and the threat of further waves of COVID, disabled people face more damaging impacts that threaten to erode any progress we have made towards equality over recent years.
Now is the time to take stock, learn from our mistakes and plan for a fairer, better normal for disabled people.
A group of north east user-led charities, including Difference North East, Disability North, Inclusion North, United Response, Newcastle Vision Support, Just Fair, Recoco and Skills for People, has worked together to come up with a ‘Manifesto for a Better Normal’. Based on our experiences of supporting disabled people before and during the COVID crisis, we have set out aspects of policy and practice that have let disabled people down, and those that have helped and could continue to help as part of a new approach.
Manifesto – Briefing – Easyread
Manifesto – Full Report – Easyread
Contacts: full contact details are contained in the report for all those charities that have contributed to the Manifesto. Difference contact – richard@differencenortheast.org.uk
EPIC RESOURCES
EPIC Example – Alphabetti Theatre
Here’s an example of a great EPIC plan that’s been put in place at Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre. They’ve taken the opportunity of the forced closure to make some great changes to Alphabetti’s building, facilities and systems, with the overall aim of improving access for disabled audiences, performers and staff.
EPIC Example – Difference North East
EPIC Plan – Difference North East
Better ConNEcted
Difference is working with a number of north east organisations and individuals to address the issue of digital exclusion in our region. We believe that good digital access is essential for accessing goods, services and information. It is no longer a luxury, but a right that we should all enjoy.
We are particularly keen that the needs of disabled people are considered, and are looking at ways of improving knowledge, skills and confidence about digital accessibility and assistive technology in our region.
Read our latest blog on this campaign.
Check out the excellent campaign website to find out more and see how you can support this work.
Contacts: email the campaign team at betterconnectedne@gmail.com or richard@differencenortheast.org.uk