ACCESSIBILITY

“Accessibility can be viewed as the “ability to access” and “benefit” from systems and/or entities.”

The word Accessibility should be a word everyone understands… Accessibility is about making sure everyone has access to education, health care, funding, resources, housing which goes back to “services and entities.” BUT Accessibility is WAY more than just that and as a community we should ensure everyone has equal opportunity… which is accessibility.

Every day, I wake up, make my bed, get my coffee, take my kids to school, work….

- One thing I learned is getting out of bed, getting dressed on my own, driving…. All a gift. Could you imagine this part of your day not being something you can access as an individual on your own?

We take SO MUCH for granted!

Every day, I know my kids are getting an education! Is it the best education they could have? OR is it the best I could offer them?

- We love to pretend education is accessible to everyone on an equal level. Let’s stop! It’s not!

Every day, I have access to health care.

- Imagine for second…worrying about getting treated for cancer or paying your mortgage or rent?

Every day, I am lucky enough to have benefits to cover my therapists, dentist, & prescriptions

- A visit to a therapist cost $210 a session, do you choose food, heat, water, internet, childcare, food, or a therapist visit.

Teachers are lacking the resources and support to give students everything they need! They are asking for help and yet we keep cutting the budget!

Let’s behonesthere!Studentsspendmoretimeinschoolthentheydowith parents!

Let’s START helping teachers! Let’s start asking what teachers need. Let’s stop cutting the education budget! Let’s make sure every school has the same access to resources & support so that ALL students have an equal opportunity to learn!

Equal Opportunity! Schools should be a place where ALL students have equal opportunity!

Health Care

Everyone has access to a family doctor. Right?

Aside from just finding a family doctor, medical expenses can and are put aside. Prescriptions, dentist visits, eye doctors, glasses, physiotherapy, all have costs. Not everyone can ask for help or knows where to look to get help. Health Care should be easily accessible!

Mental Health

Therapy: $210 a session Wait Time: 2 weeks

Where to find a therapist: ?

Stigma behind therapy: fear, shame…

Other Mental Health Resources: Hard to find.

When someone needs to talk or needs help… they need it NOW! And yet, we have wait times, a cost, stigma, fear…. And a long process!

Mental Health should be treated as health… and be part of our universal health care!

Mental Health treatment should be ACCESSIBLE to EVERYONE! NOW!

KNOWLEDGE!

The greatest gift, the hardest thing to access!

Yes ok, we have the wonderful online world filled with knowledge. BUT

How many people understand legal documents?

How many people understand academic documents about medical or science?

When you need help how many people know where to look or go?

Knowledge should be accessible, which also means it needs to be understood.

BUILDINGS!

It is 2023! And still not every building is accessible to everyone! Now what does this mean? That we need to do an evaluation of old and new buildings to make sure everyone can access them easily.

Here is just a list of things buildings could add to be accessible to everyone:

- Add smooth handrails to accessible stairways.

- Provide an accessible elevator.

- Build a bathroom with accessible features.

- Ensure a safe floor surface.

- Install grab bars.

- Upgrade door hardware.

- Provide assistive technology.

- Add ramps to entrances and exits.

- Make doorways accessible.

- Provide clear and well-lit paths of travel.

- Create accessible parking.

- Install Braille signage in restrooms and for other signs.

- Make sure your website works for everyone.

- Overhead signage for people who are hard of hearing.

- Provide alternative formats for your information to make your information accessible, and understandable.