Accessibility, like many aspects of inclusion, can feel overwhelming – What if you leave someone out? What if something well-intentioned, or even well-researched, doesn’t pan out as intended after implementation? If you hire someone with a disability, will they be able to keep up? How do you reintegrate an existing employee back into your workforce after a life-altering injury? And beyond implementation, how do you market your efforts in a way that prioritizes participation, rather than just virtue signalling?
In this workshop, Cassidy v. Ros of Nickel Bros will address all of these questions and more, drawing from her own experiences working for a business that strives for an inclusive culture and accessible environment, as a patron with disabilities, and supported by current research and best practice resources.
By the end of this session, you will be able to identify how customers and employees with disabilities are expected to engage with your organization, describe what you’re currently doing to support accessibility, identify key areas you’d like to improve upon, and present some specific tasks for implementation.
This is for anyone starting a journey to create a culture of accessibility or to simply learn the basics needed to consider in your everyday work. Focus will be on waste-industry specific examples.
$27 CWMA Members | $35 Non-Members/Friends
+GST. CWMA’s operations are supported wholly by events like these, dedicated patronage from sponsors, and our membership. We are grateful for your attendance. Differential pricing is available for students and non-profits, please be in touch. | Am I a member?
Introduction:
Setting the stage for in-session safety: We all have bias, and none of us can know everything. This session is to broaden our understanding and impact, not to invalidate current efforts.
Goals of the session:
Identify how people with disabilities are expected to engage with your business
Describe what you’re already doing to support accessibility
Identify key areas that you’d like to improve upon regarding access
Select at least three specific new practices that you will implement.
What is a disability?:
Visible vs. non-invisible disabilities
Undisclosed disabilities
Episodic disabilities
Medical emergencies
External (Customer accessibility):
Cultural considerations and front-end training / Considerations for physical, emotional and sensory demands / Language considerations / Considerations for caregivers / Considerations for the digital space and general processes / Financial considerations / How to invite those with disabilities to participate / How to make marketing inclusive / How to create inclusive calls to action
Internal (Employee accessibility):
Accessible hiring processes / Health and Safety, and signage / Cultural considerations, team building and HR / communications / Considerations for technology, policy and innovation / Considerations for physical, emotional and sensory demands / Financial considerations / Returns To Work
Conclusion:
How to actively survey members of these communities for continuing accommodations within programming as needed / Additional resources
CWMA uses the Zoom Platform for events. Please reach out for accessibility accommodations or technical assistance. Zoom Link is sent the DAY BEFORE the event.
A marketing, communications, and branding strategist, Cassidy v. Ros combines hands-on understanding with broad experience to tilt perspectives and bridge the gap between accessibility and circularity. Focused intently on developing expertise in the place where circularity in building and accessible community development meet, Cassidy has already made impactful contributions to climate-friendly and accessible policy at the provincial and federal level. One recent success was a campaign for changes to the BC building code that garnered endorsements from 27 industry organizations, from the Deputy Minister and Minister of Housing which will make a lasting, positive environmental impact in the province. As a person with a disability, Cassidy is committed to using her unique skill set to help everyone participate equally in the communities they live in, and to create a safe space for decision makers to discuss uncertainties, challenges and goals, and to seek further education.