Coffee, Conversation & Inclusion: 9 Resources to Help Make Our Spaces More Welcoming

We recently held a coffee morning in the Millennium Forum in Derry, inviting people to come together and explore ways to make our spaces and events as inclusive and welcoming as we can.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to accessibility and we’re always learning so we compiled this handy list of links and tips that came out of the chat.

1. It’s always helpful to keep in mind the Social Model of Disability. The Social Model of Disability was developed by Disabled people and describes people as being disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.
2. The Derry City & Strabane District Council website has a helpful access page and they also worked with University of Atypical to create social narrative videos of 13 venues in the council area. Available with BSL and ISL, these videos help customers to plan their visit to the space.
3. University of Atypical is another resource for organisations who would like support in becoming more accessible. They’re based in Belfast and they’re a lovely bunch.
4. “Being a gay transgender man is a large and important part of my identity, but not my whole identity. Assuming it is someone’s full identity is when it becomes tokenistic. I also have a non-visible disability, I am a son, a friend, an activist and have a keen interest in sci-fi”. These two toolkits are a great way to get started in thinking about inclusivity: Welcoming Disabled Audiences and Welcoming LGBTQ+ Audiences.
5. d/Deaf and Disabled and LGBTQI+ audiences are acutely impacted by the cost of living, with 40% reporting that they’re going to arts and culture less often as a result. But price is far from the only barrier facing audiences, and offering free events is not a quick fix solution. We explore that further in this blog: Does free mean accessible? Think again.
6. Instalment plans can be a useful way of making tickets more affordable by allowing customers to spread the cost over several weeks or months. Ticketsolve have made it quite easy to set up: How to set up Instalment plans for tickets.
7. Lipreading can be made easier by wearing lipstick! Watch this video to learn more.
8. We shouldn’t assume that one person’s needs are the same as another’s. More in this blog: Prioritising Accessibility Means Asking the Big Questions.
9. DEEDS offer training on Dementia friendly measures, including: keeping noise at a low volume, changing the colour of toilet seats in your space can make it more accessible in a white bathroom, and avoiding mats at doors to accommodate visual perception challenges. DEEDS will be running sessions for Dementia Action Week from 22 May to 4 June 2025.

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