Accessible community events start before the invitation

Check the route, not just the room

The Australian Human Rights Commission's guidance on inclusive events covers venue access, transport, invitations and participation. A venue described as accessible still needs checking against your event's layout and the people coming.

Walk from the arrival point to the entrance, then through the space people will use. Confirm the route to toilets and seating with the venue manager. Ask what changes after hours: an unlocked side gate during an inspection may be locked on Saturday evening. Take notes you can turn into clear arrival instructions.

Source: Australian Human Rights Commission: hosting inclusive meetings and events

Replace a broad promise with useful details

‘Everyone welcome’ says something about your intention. It does not tell someone whether they can get inside. State the access details you have checked, the transport information you can verify and the best way to discuss an adjustment.

Avoid promising that a venue will meet every need. If something is still being checked, name it and say when you will have an answer. Put the information on the event page as text so it can be enlarged, read by assistive technology and updated. A poster image should not be the only place the instructions exist.

Give access requests an owner

Choose who will read and answer requests, with a backup when they are away. Asking people to contact you only works if the address is monitored and someone can make a decision about the room or budget.

Ask what would help the person participate. Avoid collecting a diagnosis when the organiser only needs to arrange a seat or a communication aid. Keep the practical information available to the people implementing the arrangement, with access limited to those who need it. Confirm the agreed arrangement directly with the attendee.

Set aside time and money for arrangements that need booking. If a request cannot be met as proposed, talk with the person about alternatives. Do this before the event, when a change is still possible.

Plan for being there as well as getting in

For a trivia night, think about how questions will be presented and how answers will be collected. For a committee meeting, think about access to the papers and who can hear the discussion. Reaching the room is only one part of participating.

The Commission's communications guidance explains why people may need information in different formats. Ask about those needs early enough to prepare. Send useful material in advance and give speakers the arrangements they need to follow.

Source: Australian Human Rights Commission: accessible and inclusive communications

• Check that furniture and equipment leave the agreed routes clear.
• Tell the welcome team which entrance to use and who handles questions.
• Test the microphone and any booked communication support.
• Provide a way to take part without scanning a QR code.

Publish the details you can stand behind

Read the event page as someone who has never visited the hall. Can they work out where to arrive, what will happen and who can answer a question? Ask someone outside the organising team to try the same task.

Use fullhall's event page sections for the access and arrival information, and keep the organiser contact address current. After the event, ask whether the arrangements worked. Keep that feedback with the planning notes, and check it again when the venue or activity changes. This is a practical starting point; use the Commission's full guidance when planning the event.