Disable Issues

[Light Keeper]

Can the disabled share fellowship in Your place of Worship?

Before you say of course there is! please stop and think.
Can a wheelchair user get in?
Is there a dedicated parking space close by?
Are there toilet facilities for those who have disabilities?
Can a wheelchair user get IN and OUT?
Please note the service has not yet started!
The questions are many, and answers?
There are millions of people with disabilities who are denied fellowship and there are millions more who are in need of knowing salvation.
NOW can you answer Yes?

 

[jayebrownlee]

yes

 

[Cheriton]

Yup

 

[Raskolnikov]

I think so. There are certainly quite a few elderly and disabled people who attend, but I'll have to have a look around to make sure now!

 

[SkyRider]

We're getting there, but it's a long haul. We've needed to set up an "access group" to ask the awkward questions, but they seem pretty good at it....

We now have wheelchair access to all areas of the church except the stage. There's a hearing loop on one side and one service a Sunday is signed. The current problem (all suggestions welcome!) is that all the songs and prayers are put up on an OHP and this could be problematic for blind or partially-sighted folk - we don't have any in the congregation at the moment, but maybe this is why....

 

[Light Keeper]

Greetings
Thank you for your post, congratulations to you all, you as a church haven't put your heads in the sand and ignored the problems.
May I suggest a possible solution to your problem regarding the overheads.
I assume that you also use hymn/chorus books? then try LARGE PRINT BOOKS, which I know from bitter experience is simpler "said" than done.
Have you heard that the NEW copy right regulations have just been published Oct. 31st 2003, and to my understanding, it is legal for text to be enlarged for the use of V.I.P.s(visual impaired person).
This has to be for their sole use and not for retail.
A good task for someone with a computer and printer, don't you agree? A further suggestion, use font size 36, why, simply as v.i.p.s vary in what they can see, more v.i.p.s are able to use this size of font.
Contact the R.N.I.B. they can help with Braille and moon,
please make contact if I can help further, your v.i.p.

 

[MsAnne]

We not only have wheelchair access to our church, but to the platform as well - which works nicely for the gentleman in our choir who is wheelchair bound. Choir just wouldn't be the same without him!

 

[Yahweh Nissi]

I think it is pretty good as far as access goes - I have sat next to a guy in a weelchair a couple of times. Not sure what provisions there are for deaf and/or blind people though.

 

[mo.]

Greetings
Have you heard that the NEW copy right regulations have just been published Oct. 31st 2003, and to my understanding, it is legal for text to be enlarged for the use of V.I.P.s(visual impaired person).
This has to be for their sole use and not for retail.
A good task for someone with a computer and printer, don't you agree? A further suggestion, use font size 36, why, simply as v.i.p.s vary in what they can see, more v.i.p.s are able to use this size of font.

I have written a projection software which also has a praisebook generator. You can generate lyrics in any font size in seconds. This would be very useful for churches in catering for the v.i.p.

 

[SkyRider]

May I suggest a possible solution to your problem regarding the overheads.
I assume that you also use hymn/chorus books?

We don't — we were having to change them too frequently to accommodate new songs.

Have you heard that the NEW copy right regulations have just been published Oct. 31st 2003, and to my understanding, it is legal for text to be enlarged for the use of V.I.P.s(visual impaired person).

Ah. That's worth knowing. Thanks hugely. Since we're a pretty big church, the acetates need to be pretty big to be seen at the back — maybe all we need to do is photocopy those. I think they're already 40pt or thereabouts.

 

[Buttermilk]

Yes, and we have just finished upgrading the facilities, new toilets etc.

 

[veggietales]

As for Deaf and Hard of hearing access in my church, we have interpreters and loop systems. For Blind and visual impairements we have large print and large print overheads. Our access for wheelchair users is not perfect but we are working on it.

My aim is to make all churches aware that information on access for people with disabilities in christian settings is available to those who need them.

Did you know that there is a register of interpreters that sign in christian settings?

L~