20 Feature |
|||||||||
|
squash , but when we provided it , it was gone before day one was finished . So , we really have to be actively trying to find those people that can ’ t or won ’ t come to the event in its current form .”
This moving of the needle may also be conducive to more creative events , by appealing to more niche interests and needs , organisers may be more open to innovation . Moon said : “ From an inclusion perspective , neurotypicals are likely to attend events to network , to schmooze and to socialise in their own divergence . Some neurodiverse people find networking very difficult , but still have a thirst for knowledge . That intersection is likely to be there for the education , the keynote speakers , to learn .
“ What this means for event organisers in terms of that event design , is that it needs to evolve . We ’ re starting to recognise that and move in the right direction , but there ’ s still an awful lot to be done .”
One area we ’ re already seeing this innovation is in the change in terminology , from audience to community . For Danielle Bounds , sales director , ICC Wales , this shift in perspective in critical for future event success , she said : “ I think organisers need to move away from thinking about just putting on an event . Instead , they should be reframing it and thinking about creating a community of people who share experiences , it just so happens to be at an event . So , it ’ s about making that work for communities and that paying attention to the key drivers , rather than creating an event .
“ Take a medical association event , for example , you ’ ve got a person who ’ s organising an event for a group of doctors , that person isn ’ t a doctor and doesn ’ t understand being a doctor .”
|
Lou Kiwanuka |
Helen Moon |
Danielle Bounds |
This community aspect is also cyclical , by being inclusive to a community and involving all walks of life , organisers can create once-in-in-a-lifetime events according to Megan Strahle , sustainability consultant , The Bulb . She said : “ By integrating the community , you ’ re creating a USP , because you can ’ t recreate that experience elsewhere . Because this is a one-time thing by creating a special moment that ’ s unique .
“ I think we ’ re at the point in our professional life where you need to have an inclusion and accessibility
|
“ Communities , especially those centred around disability , have much louder and stronger voices through social media .” – Lou Kiwanuka |
budget , I think that ’ s now non-negotiable . I think everyone needs to start adding in cost for sustainable materials or sustainable signage in event budgets .”
The first step Taking the first step can be the hardest , but for those organisations wanting to make a change there are some accessible alterations that can be made to working practices in the short term .
Strahle said : “ Do your research . There is a tonne of information out there , there ’ s a lot of really great influencers on LinkedIn , who are openly talking about their experience . Remember that any feedback that a disabled person is giving about your event is not a criticism , it is because we want to improve the experience for future attendees .”
It ’ s also about personal experience with these challenges according to Kiwanuka , she said : “ Another way that I think organisers could really change things is by exposing the hierarchy of our industry , to the experience of people . I learned the most from accompanying somebody to an event and seeing their experience first-hand .”
Kiwanuka ended our conversation on a message of change , how it doesn ’ t have to be the behemoth on the horizon and striving towards an inclusive future is possible . She said : “ I would hope that everyone that reads this article , commits to making one change a month . Learning how to make change is the biggest barrier in our industry , whether it ’ s sustainability , inclusivity , governance or any of the ESGs .
“ What I can see from interviewing people every week for the last three years in our industry , is that the biggest barrier is that people don ’ t know how to change , they don ’ t know how to make change .” CN
|