Most organisations use conferences, seminars and other meetings to bring people together to discuss issues, develop policies or to disseminate key messages and information. Holding a public event will help to introduce a much wider range of people to the services provided by your access group. If an event is marketed well, it will provide excellent publicity for your group, while simultaneously helping to make people more aware of barriers to access and inclusion.

Organising meetings and events can be very hard work, and a lot of time has to be devoted to considering different aspects. As a result, some event organisers overlook the needs of disabled people in their planning, which has the potential to exclude people completely.

In order to help event organisers make events (and associated services) more accessible and inclusive for disabled people, the former Disability Rights Commission published some practical guidance. It offers information and guidance on working towards better practice.

Organising Accessible Events can be downloaded from the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s website.

For further information on organising accessible meetings and events, refer to the Manchester Disabled People’s Access Group’s Guidelines for Accessible Meetings and Events.