COVER FEATURE things , there ’ s a significant commercial upside . That resonated strongly with me .
“ ROAR acquired Naidex in 2019 and as the new custodian of this 50-year-old show , we felt that we should be leading on accessibility in exhibitions and practising more of what we preach . That ’ s when I reached out to Shani for help .”
ROAR B2B has now launched a three-month PWD internship . In January , it appointed its first applicant .
“ For me , it was a full circle moment ,” Dhanda responds . “ I ’ ve worked in the industry , I ’ ve attended ROAR ’ s events and now I ’ m helping to make their business as accessible as possible . When we opened the internship , I couldn ’ t believe how many overqualified people applied , simply because it was that difficult for them to find a job .
“ More internships for disabled people help to solve a big societal problem ,” she continues . “ It ’ s expensive for us to live so if the work opportunities aren ’ t there , we fall more easily into poverty .”
Clarke adds that ROAR B2B will give its first PWD intern a holistic experience working across different parts of the business . “ At the end of the scheme , either we ’ ll have an opportunity for her or we ’ ll be able to introduce her to other organisers who might be looking for someone .”
According to the World Health Organisation , globally , one in six people have some form of disability . In the US , it ’ s 27 % of adults and in the UK , it ’ s just under a quarter of the population , ( 16 million people ).
Above : Shani Dhanda and Steve Clarke , ROAR B2B
If exhibitions aren ’ t accessible , not only do they close the door to this significant section of society , but they also exclude their family and friends as well .
“ We mustn ’ t forget it ’ s also the law ,” adds Dhanda . She ’ s correct of course .
Disability is one of nine ‘ protected characteristics ’ defined by the 2010 Equality Act — making it illegal for any business to discriminate against PWDs .
So why are so many exhibitions and events still not fully accessible ? Why for example , do some venues not offer ramps onto stages as standard ? Or why do some exhibitions not have wider aisles to cater for visitors in wheelchairs ?
Did you know for instance that removing carpet from the show floor for sustainability reasons could have a detrimental impact on neurodivergent visitors or those with impaired mobility ?
“ We need to recognise that when we talk about accessibility , what we often mean is an equivalent user experience to a non-disabled person . But for many of us , we simply can ’ t have the same experience . To serve us well , we need to be better
understood so that our physical lived experiences can be factored into event design ,” Dhanda says .
Clarke agrees and says that ‘ better understanding ’ your show visitors often means asking the right registration questions and engaging yearround with sector-specific trade show communities .
“ When we understand the range of disabilities that exist within our audiences and we ask the right questions in the right way , we can start to understand what adaptations we need to make to our shows that will make them more accessible ,” he says .
Asking the ‘ right questions in the right way ’ means online reg questions that unearth individual needs .
“ Just asking , ‘ Are you disabled ?’ won ’ t tell you what their access needs are ,” Dhanda says . “ You need to ask more specific questions such as , ‘ Do you require captions or British sign language interpreters ?’ By asking detailed questions and contacting anyone who has made a request , you ’ ll create a positive first impression of your event and give yourself more time to incorporate extra accessible elements .
“ Where possible , we also
shouldn ’ t wait for people to tell us that they have a disability ,” she says . “ Many disabled people have a non-visible condition or impairment . We may think that disabled people aren ’ t coming to our shows but believe me , they are .
“ If you ’ re always having to retrofit your event design , it ’ ll cost more in the long run and the aesthetic may suffer . Instead , design for accessibility from the outset and communicate it prominently so that disabled people don ’ t have to doublecheck whether or not they can attend . Take action , not because you ’ ve been called out over it , but because it ’ s the right thing to do .”
Dhandu needs to go and rehearse her Primark address for the morning but before she goes , I ask her about her lived experiences speaking at events . Do organisers always ensure her needs are met ?
“ In over 300 speaking engagements , I ’ ve only ever been offered a heightadjustable lectern once ,” she replies . “ What ’ s worse is that only last year , I had to climb onto a stage because an organiser didn ’ t think to put a step there . I ’ d been asked what my dietary requirements were but nobody thought to ask what my access requirements were . Imagine how it felt to have to climb onto that stage in front of an audience .”
It ’ s an empathetic moment that should make organisers stop , reflect and see their exhibition and conference design through the eyes of every person with a disability , visible or not . EN
Spring — 11