• Home
  • Latest News
    • Plastic free Lake Mac >
      • Plastic Free Cafes
      • Cafes survey
      • Plastic free Toronto
      • Ban the bag >
        • Bag Swap Stations
        • Champions
      • Plastic free education
      • Green gifts
    • Waste to Art >
      • 2020 Exhibition Guide
      • 2019 Exhibition Guide
    • Superstars
    • Newsletter
    • School sustainability
    • Repair Cafe
    • Our Community Gardens
    • Citywide Clean Up
    • Success Stories >
      • Lake Mac Awards 2020
    • Connection Cards
    • Responsible Cat Care
    • Dog brochure
    • Coastal Wetlands Park
  • Local groups
    • Cardiff Area >
      • Boomerang Bags Sewing Workshop
      • Bird Count BBQ
      • Waste-free Christmas
      • Instagram competition
      • Car Boot Sales
      • Beeswax wrap making
      • National Tree Day
      • Past projects >
        • Twilight picnic in the park
        • Halloween @ Cardiff
        • Cardiff Cycleway Forum
        • Green coffee grounds
        • Boomerang Bags
        • Eco Angel Cardiff South
        • Wreath making
        • Compost bin making
        • Australia Day Award
        • Shortland Volunteer Award
        • Cardiff Landcare
        • CLEANas Presentation
        • Plant Swap
    • Caves Beach Swansea area >
      • School Art Competition >
        • CALMD Artworks
      • Eco Angel Clean Up
      • Coon Island Celebration
      • Sustainable Living Guide
      • Swansea heads
    • Cooranbong >
      • Our Projects >
        • Fire Ready
        • Birds presentations
        • Walk in the Park
      • Our vision
    • Dudley >
      • Nature Play
      • Be Prepared for Bushfire
      • Dudley Super Street Sale 2013
      • Dudley Mural
      • Engagement
      • Values Assets and a Vision
    • Five Bays >
      • Neighbourhood gathering
      • Pamper care project
      • Awaba State Conservation Area
    • Greater Charlestown >
      • Weeds workshop
      • Community history
      • Planting Party
      • Whitebridge clean up
      • Park celebration
      • Charlestown Talks
    • Morisset & Peninsula >
      • Our projects >
        • Eco articles
        • Wyee Neighbour Day
        • Papier mache
        • Wildlife in Morisset
        • Sustainability gatherings
        • Eco Health Expo 2015
        • EcoHealth Expo 2014
        • Graeme Stuart talk
        • Preserving Workshop May 2011
        • Sustainable House Tour Sept 2011
        • art2264@Morisset PCYC
      • Morisset & Peninsula SNAP
      • About Morisset and Peninsula
    • Pelican Area
    • Rathmines Area >
      • Beeswax wrap workshops
      • Acheivements
      • Kilaben Bay - Rathmines Pathway
      • Rathmines Master Plan
      • Wicking garden beds
      • Bag It Film
      • Rathmines Park Litter Project
      • Camping in park
      • Asbestos removal
      • Celebration 2017
    • Redhead >
      • Wetland Wonders
      • Bag Making Workshop
      • Biggest Morning Tea
      • ANZAC Memorial
      • April Storm Meeting
      • Surfest celebration
      • Renew Lambton Colliery
    • Toronto Area >
      • Projects >
        • Picnic in the park
        • Brighton Ave Footpath
        • Fire Retardant Garden
        • Community Garden
        • Tossers can be binners
      • Vision
    • Valentine >
      • Walking in Valentine
    • Warners Bay Area >
      • Indigenous connection
      • Winter Nature Play Adventure
      • Autumn Nature Play Adventure
    • West Wallsend District >
      • New projects
      • Holmesville garden
      • Landcare
      • Achievements >
        • Old Waste, New Art 2015
      • Old Waste New Art
      • News
      • Gallery
  • The Alliance
    • Strategic plan
    • Annual Report
    • Volunteer >
      • Waste to Art Coordinator
      • Photographers and videographers
      • Social media
      • Minutes secretary
      • Promotions team
      • Young Leaders
      • Marketing specialist
      • Living Smart Festival 2019
    • Sharing and training opportunities >
      • Coal Ash update
      • Gathering Feb 2021
      • Picnic and celebration
      • Virtual Catch Up
      • Empowerment workshop
      • Celebrate 2019
      • T-shirt Order
      • Cake and conversation June 2019
      • Celebrate 2018
      • Celebrate 2017
      • Celebrate 2016
      • Health and safety training
      • Recruiting young people
      • Recruiting volunteers
      • Tips and lessons
      • Grants and fundraising
      • Annual Show and Tell
      • Success session - May 2014
      • Online collaboration
    • Strengthening Sustainable Neighbourhoods
    • Governance and membership >
      • Annual renewal
    • Alliance Board
    • Alliance Board Meetings >
      • Alliance Meeting Minutes Archive
      • Alliance AGM
  • Resources
    • Year Planner
    • Governance
    • Planning and implementing >
      • Accessibility
    • Community Gardens
    • Promoting your activities
    • Developing a SNAP
    • Survey Results
    • SNAPs
  • Contact
    • About
    • Privacy
  • Supporters
  • Links
    • Getting Inspired
    • Managing a group
    • Community gardens
    • Funding
    • Energy water and waste
    • Biodiversity and ecosystems
    • Local organisations
    • NSW and National Organisations
    • Facilitating Change
  Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Increasing accessibility and inclusion
Inclusion is an underpinning principle for Sustainable Neighbourhoods, and we are committed to ensuring our events and activities are accessible to the greatest possible number of people.
We are currently developing a policy and training for Sustainable Neighbourhoods to enable people with varying access needs to attend our events.
These considerations can make it easier for people to attend and enjoy our events, including for example:
  • someone with a hearing or vision impairment;
  • a wheelchair user;
  • someone with an intellectual disability;
  • someone with a stroller; or
  • an older person.

Some more information about Event Accessibility is available from the NSW Government.
Updated risk assessment form
We have recently updated our risk assessment form to prompt consideration of accessibility requirements, when planning our events and activities.

Please download and use this updated form for your future activities.
Risk assessment Form - MAY 2018.doc
File Size: 442 kb
File Type: doc
Download File

Some key accessibility considerations
While it may not be possible or suitable to hold all of our events in fully accessible venues, it is important to consider these aspects in your event planning, and make improvements where possible.
Venue and event features
Key access features
  • accessible parking or drop off areas
  • wide, flat pathways and entrances
  • ramps or  lifts to all areas of the building
  • accessible toilets
  • clear, visual signage
  • adequate lighting
  • clearly marked, accessible emergency exits
 
Additional access features
  • captioning or hearing loop technology
  • good acoustics that avoid background noise
  • battery recharge facilities for electric wheelchair users
  • Braille markings
  • key information provided in large print
  • drinking water for companion animals
  • designated quiet spaces
 
Consider the layout of your event
  • allow plenty of space between stalls, tables or seating
  • consider special viewing areas for those with access needs
  • avoid uneven surfaces, obstructions or mobility hazards
  • proximity of accessible toilets
 
Travel options
  • accessible drop off zone
  • accessible car parking
  • identify suitable routes from the nearest bus stop or train station
 
Activities and equipment
  • suitable audio visual equipment for presentations (eg microphone, projector)
  • sufficient volunteer numbers to welcome and assist participants
  • flexible activities to cater for varying ability levels
  • simple instructions
  • safe and simple tools
  • consider engaging a paid child care worker to offer child minding
  • affordability and concessions
Communication and promotions

Promotions
Include details of accessible features in your promotions for the event.
For many people with accessibility needs, trip planning is very important. Providing information about accessibility features of your event will make it easier for everyone to attend.
For example, The Place at Charlestown clearly spells out the facilities available at their venue, and provides detail to help people plan their visit. https://www.theplacecharlestown.org.au/index.jsp?topic=148.

Another example of an accessibility statement could be:
Venue is wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking and amenities.
If you have additional access requirements to attend this event, contact ________.

Digital promotions
For digital promotions, always include a text version of your invitation, rather than only including the invitation on a PDF or image.  Many people with a vision impairment rely on screen reading or Braille software that does not interact with PDFs or images.

Contact information
Always include both a phone number and digital contact (website or email address) for more information about your event. Some people with disabilities will require one or the other of these methods.
Picture
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Our vision - Neighbourhoods that are empowered to live sustainably.
Our mission - Our work is to foster sustainable neighbourhoods and a healthy environment in Lake Macquarie
Our values - We are guided by our values of participation, inclusion, collaboration, empowerment and shared responsibility.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters on which we live, work and play, the Awabakal People, and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who now reside in this area. We pay our respect to Elders past and present, and future cultural knowledge holders.

The Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance is registered as a not for profit incorporated association under NSW Fair Trading. Sustainable Neighbourhood activities are managed and governed by volunteers and financed through grants, collaboration and community fundraising.
Picture
Sustainable Neighbourhoods is an initiative of Lake Macquarie City Council.
www.lakemac.com.au
Picture
We are proud to be a Very Neighbourly Organisation and supporter of Neighbour Day.
www.neighbourday.org