SARC Members: Champions of Accessibility and Inclusion!
by Don Epp, SARC Facility Planner, May 26, 2025
National AccessAbility Week 2025 (May 25-31, 2025)
SARC Members are champions of inclusion and accessibility. The theme of this year’s National AccessAbility week is “Breaking barriers together: Paving the way for an inclusive future”. Creating an inclusive future is why every SARC Member exists – you can see it in mission and vision statements, and, most importantly, you can see it in action every day in the way they support people experiencing disabilities to pursue opportunities in their communities.
Buildings at SARC Member facilities are constantly being updated to include accessibility features for people using them. Physical changes to the buildings often go beyond the bare minimum of the National Building Code to meet the unique needs of the people who use the space. The National Building Code is changing to reflect greater accessibility and inclusion, an example being a national standard for an “All Gender” accessible washroom sign, complete with braille type. Transfer space around adult-sized change tables is also defined. The standard for accessibility is widening so more people can benefit from these improvements.
Community-based activities also increase the inclusion of people experiencing disabilities. More people are taking advantage of accessibility features in public buildings. Partly because more accessibility features exist and partly because SARC Members are making a concerted effort to experience more of what the community has to offer. Allocating resources, staff, and transportation to shift to community-based activities all come from executive decisions to make this happen. Being part of the community is a priority as a result of bold leadership.
Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are also champions of breaking barriers and creating an inclusive future for people experiencing disabilities. At the most recent SARC Spring Conference, attendees were inspired to use play and have fun to solve problems in order to reduce barriers and increase inclusion. Practical solutions on how to invent and create DIY assistive devices was an informative hands-on session. People were also inspired by hearing how the closing keynote speaker, Michael Bortolotto, overcame so many barriers (personal and societal) in his life to become the person he is today.
Person-centred planning also contributes to reducing barriers. People are listened to and are front and centre in the planning process so that their goals and dreams can be realized, and DSPs will work with each person to identify and address barriers and challenges that might be encountered along the way. DSPs are leaders in implementing the components of a person-centred culture, and a very important component is Community Inclusion where people can engage in meaningful activities without barriers so they can participate fully in community life. Something that is carried out every day.
SARC Members are champions of reducing barriers and paving a path to an inclusive future. It is part of their core values and practiced daily through the hard work of leadership and DSPs. We all benefit from a more accessible and inclusive province. For assistance with making your facilities more accessible, please contact SARC’s Facility Planner, Don Epp, via email at depp@sarcan.sk.ca.
