Around 16% of people worldwide have a disability, rising to 1 in 4 adults in the EU. By not making your events welcoming and accessible, you miss out on reaching a larger audience. Creating an accessible event means being inclusive for individuals with hidden disabilities. In this article, we give 5 top tips for planning accessible events.
- Ensure Accessibility and Discover Attendee Needs During Registration
Your event’s registration page serves as a crucial opportunity to uncover and accommodate the additional needs of your attendees. It’s important to optimise this page by asking the right questions and offering checkboxes that allow attendees to indicate their requirements.
Consider including the following questions on your registration page:
- Do you require captions?
- Will you need a sign language interpreter?
- Are you planning to be accompanied by a service animal or Personal Care Assistant (PCA)?
- Do you need wheelchair-accessible facilities?
By gathering detailed information during the registration process or by proactively contacting individuals who have specific accessibility needs, you can create a positive first impression of your event while allowing ample time for incorporating additional accessible elements into your planning.
Don’t forget to provide contact information, enabling attendees to reach out with any questions or specific requests they may have.
- Improving Onsite Accessibility for a Better Attendee Experience
When enhancing your event’s onsite experience, it’s important to think about people with disabilities (PWD) and consider their entire attendee journey. Here are some steps to take:
Wheelchair Accessibility: Widening aisles and adding lower poseur tables can accommodate visitors in wheelchairs. Assign dedicated wheelchair areas in conference halls or break-out rooms.
Personal Care Assistants (PCAs): Ensure PCAs receive free entry and can sit beside the person they’re assisting. Factor them into catering numbers and room capacities.
Service Animals: Reserve spaces for service animals, providing them water and designated areas for restroom breaks. Instruct staff not to distract or fuss over the service animals.
Wellness Spaces: Create quiet rooms or wellness spaces for attendees seeking respite from the bustling show floor.
Stage Sets and Lighting: Avoid triggering photosensitive epilepsy by reconsidering elements like strobe stage lighting.
- Virtual and Hybrid Events
Ensuring accessibility for virtual and hybrid events is also crucial. Here are some tips to consider:
Optimise Colour Contrast: Make sure online presentations meet colour contrast ratios to accommodate individuals with visual impairments and colour blindness.
Explain Visual Content: Not all virtual attendees can see or interpret presentation slides. Ask presenters to verbally explain visual elements for better comprehension.
On-Screen Sign Language Interpreters: If possible, provide an on-screen sign language interpreter. Ensure they are consistently visible and displayed at an appropriate size for legibility.
- Communication is key
Incorporating accessibility information into your pre-event communications is vital.
Include a Clear Message: Add a concise line at the bottom of posters or flyers with black text on a light background, stating, for example, “Our theatre offers wheelchair accessibility” or “Sign language interpreter provided.”
Ensure Readability: Confirm that presentation fonts are large enough to be seen from the back row, images are high-quality, and messages are easily understood.
Optimise Sign Language Interpreting: Reserve front-row seats for visually impaired attendees using a sign language interpreter. Additionally, ensure proper lighting and background for optimal visibility of the interpreter’s face and hands from the stage.
Set Up an Accessibility Desk: If your event attracts many individuals with additional needs, establishing an “accessibility hub” near the entrance can make a significant difference. Notify registered participants that a dedicated desk is available to provide assistance if they encounter any challenges during the event. This central point of contact ensures that attendees with additional needs receive the support they require, promoting an inclusive and accommodating environment.
- Promoting Inclusive Practices Amongst Staff
Foster a culture of inclusion by providing comprehensive training to all involved in the planning and execution of your event. Consider these actions:
Sensitivity to Attendees’ Needs: Train registration staff to identify when an attendee requires extra time or assistance, whether for information, directions, or badge printing.
Interacting with Different Abilities: Educate registration staff on appropriate interactions with attendees who are deaf or visually impaired, including those accompanied by service animals. For instance, emphasise refraining from petting the animal and avoiding grabbing an attendee’s arm when providing directions.
To find out more accessibility tips, register for Cvent’s upcoming webinar: Making Events Accessible to All (link below)
