The Power Of One

ByDavid Best

Everyone is an advocate, and our collective voice can have a powerful influence in changing the world one community at a time. Over the past three years I have nudged, cajoled, and demanded that our local municipal and business leaders take a more active role in the national Access Ability initiative.

This year we hosted a number of events throughout the Access Ability Week that challenged local groups to come together to solve real life problems for people living with a disability in our community. The local Hackforge Tech Meet Up group assumed leadership in organizing and hosting the activities that stimulated creativity and innovation. Persons with disabilities, business entrepreneurs, and tech innovators worked together to educate and inspire one another.

What did we achieve? Here are some of the outcomes:

  1. An in depth workshop on user screen readers, and website accessibility inspired many local businesses to reevaluate their digital communication strategies.
  2. A website accessibility directory of local organizations highlighting their best practice inclusion efforts, and giving us information about accessible places.
  3. A local accessibility interest group was establish to have monthly virtual meetings for sharing and supporting integration efforts for ongoing community inclusion growth.
  4. A municipal exploration smart phone app was initiated for people with vision loss to find places, travel safely, and get status updates on municipal activities. The expectation is to get funding to continue this project and train volunteers to update Open Street Maps with local accessibility features.
  5. Integrating persons with disabilities into the local community fabric has created a momentum for greater inclusion and prosperity.

The National Access Ability Awareness Week is an opportunity to educate Canadians one community at a time. The power of community collaboration across Canada is a thread that can unite and inspire each individual to be a more effective advocate. What are you doing to build a more inclusive community where you live?

To learn more about our Access Ability experience check out the Recapping National Access Ability Awareness Week at the Hackforge website