Venue accessibility: tips for planning inclusive events

Tips for planning inclusive events and the importance of venue accessibility

Venue accessibility is increasingly important to inclusivity and ensuring people from all walks of life can attend your event – whether it be a class, group or sports club. Here, we’ll go through our tips for planning inclusive events, looking through the lens of venue accessibility

Planning inclusive events with venue accessibility

When planning inclusive events, the key things to look out for in venue accessibility are –

Ramps and handrails: incorporating ramps and handrails in staircases and doorways is an extremely effective way to ensure individuals using wheelchairs or those with limited mobility can access your event and move around the space with confidence. 

A lot of venues for hire – including schools – offer a level of accessibility and inclusivity such as ramps, handrails and sometimes even lifts.  

Seating arrangements: seating arrangements are key to accessibility and inclusivity because space needs to be consciously reserved for any attendees in wheelchairs and those mobility aids such as crutches or walkers – ensuring they have enough space to comfortably get to their seat and sit down – and also because seating arrangements must be flexible for various needs. 

School facilities in particular offer an impressive variety of seating arrangements for different events and needs – allowing you to remain flexible and respond quickly to changing requirements.

Accessible toilets and parking spaces: accessible toilets and parking spaces are such an essential part of inclusivity, not only for those living with disabilities or limited mobility, but also for anyone attending your event with additional needs, babies and young children who require extra space when using the facilities.

Inclusive communication: inclusive communication encompasses a number of elements such as: large text and subtitles, sign language or web and app accessibility and, depending on the nature of your event, class, club or group, you may want to consider one or even all of the above. 

Of course, it really depends on the event your planning as to what you’ll require when it comes to inclusive communication. However, making sure that the venue you hire comes with access to A/V equipment such as a projector, online digital whiteboard and/or speakers – equipment that provides you with the ability to be flexible in responding to the needs of your attendees – will help you to confidently navigate communication for inclusivity; something school lettings typically offer as part of their programme. 

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