By working with Attitude is Everything, Disabled Go and Changing Places Campaign; unions will be able to find out how accessible they are, and what they can do to improve.
Do you find it difficult to access some of your unions services? Whether it is attending a social event, getting involved in volunteering or simply getting in to the building - you have to opportunity to approach your students' union and ask them to get involved in this Access Challenge.
Rupy Kaur, NUS Disabled Students’ Officer said: “I’m delighted to launch this campaign. So many students have accessibility needs, this campaign will raise awareness of these and will ultimately improve the accessibility of our students’ unions.
“I would really encourage every union in the country to get involved. NUS will award a prize to the union who has made the ‘best effort’ in improving access – I’m really excited to find out how far we can take this campaign and how much difference it will make to students’ lives across the country.”
Want to find out more information?
Email Rupy.Kaur@nus.org.uk to register your interest.
This Access Challenge is open to Students' Unions so what can I do to help?
You can help by lobbying your students’ union to take part. We have written a model motion which you can take to your union to make sure it is taking part.
Attitude is Everything
Attitude is Everything improves deaf and disabled people’s access to live music by working with audiences, artists, venues, festivals and the music industry to implement a Charter of Best Practice. Under the Charter we look at the physical and sensory access at a live music venue, festival or event, as well as how Deaf and disabled customers can get information and book tickets and assess how staff and volunteers treat Deaf and disabled customers. We then work with them to ensure all aspects of a customer’s experience are as accessible as possible.
We are really excited to be asked to team up with the NUS and its Access Challenge. Universities need to make sure that deaf and disabled students have the same opportunities as everyone else to engage in student life, meeting new people and having fun. The Access Challenge will ensure all students’ union venues have the opportunity to look at what they do and how they do it.
What can Attitude is Everything do for your Students’ Union?
- Help you become a Charter Venue.
- Assess your venue and then give you feedback and recommendations on how to improve its access.
- Work with you to implement effective change.
- Assist in producing an Action Plan on how you can achieve the Bronze, Silver and Gold Levels of our Charter of Best Practice.
- Provide Disability Equality Training.
- Get Deaf and disabled students to Mystery Shop your venue.
What can you do for Attitude is Everything?
Become a Mystery Shopper and get free tickets to gigs in return for writing a feedback report on your experience at the venue for us.
Disabled Go
DiasbledGo is a national disability organisation that provides detailed access information to give disabled people freedom and choice when visiting venues, whether a university student union or a pub in a city. DisabledGo currently feature 55 university unions on their website, ensuring that prospective students, staff and visitors are informed of the access before they arrive on site.
DisabledGo’s involvement with the NUS, and subsequently Access Challenge, is a really positive step forward in ensuring that disabled people who use the unions are provided with the right information in order to make autonomous choices about their visit. The guides are not only of benefit to students, but also friends, carers, employees and gig organisers who may want to use union facilities for an event.
Finally, the wider impact of DisabledGo’s involvement with the NUS and Access Challenge is to bring a wider sense of understanding within unions as to what they can do more to improve the service they are providing to disabled people. With 55 unions involved so far, it’s fair to say this campaign is well underway!
Changing Places Campaign
Imagine having to have your continence pad changed on the floor of a public toilet or be forced to make a decision not to go to university or college because you can not use the toilets on campus. Most of us would agree that this just isn’t acceptable. But it is the reality for many individuals whose disability means that they are not able to use standard accessible toilets.
They need Changing Places toilets – with a changing bench, hoist and plenty of space to move around. The Changing Places campaign are proud to work with NUS to get these facilities on campuses around the UK.