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Beyond the Checklist: Innovative Approaches to Sensory-Friendly Conference Design
The “Let Us Help Each Other” conference, held in March 2024 at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre in Nova Scotia, Canada, promised a compelling platform: accessibility and disability from indigenous perspectives. But for conference organizers, they wanted to do more than ensure critical pieces, like adding sign language interpreters. In addition, they wanted to create an even more accessible conference experience.
How could they create a more inclusive experience that catered to delegates with diverse sensory needs? Well, they hired Sensory Friendly Solutions to do just that!
Sensory Awareness Training: Equipping Organizers
The Sensory Friendly Solutions team completes several key steps when auditing any experience and training businesses and organizations to be sensory-friendly. Importantly, each step is adjusted to the timeline, input from stakeholders (the business, organization and their respective audience or client) and the budget. For instance, with this example client, Sensory Friendly Solutions was hired to provide the following as part of training:
- Check conference print materials and teach about recommendations for improvement
- Review conference location and ammenities and teach about recommendations about communication regarding onsite accommodations for disaiblity
- Provide reflection questions for conference organizers as part of mentoring them on their learning journey
- Recommend sensory-friendly initiatives for conference organizers to consider as part of increating their understanding of key changes they can make to foster inclusion
- Hand out an 8- senses worksheet for conference organizers to complete as part of their personal learning journey about the senses
- Provide a guide for presenters to give more sensory-friendly presentations!
- Host a live, virtual training event with conference organizers and volunteers before the conference to help them prepare
- Be available for a post-conference debrief
Reflection Questions for Conference Organizers:
Becoming sensory-friendly, accessible and inclusive is a journey of small steps.
Christel Seeberger, Founder and CEO, Sensory Friendly Solutions
To foster the journey of small steps by the conference organizers, we provided them with a list of reflection questions as they prepared for conference. For example, here are some of those important reflection questions:
- Is there a designated person on the conference team for attendees with accessibility concerns?
- Is there an accessibility page on the website? If so, is information about accessibility easy to find? What kind of information is on the accessibility page?
- Can materials and presentations be provided in alternative formats (e.g., large print, Braille, electronic, QR code to access information on their personal devices)
- Are there frequent loud, unexpected sounds in the space? (e.g., scraping chairs, nearby construction, alarms, etc.?)
- Is there a scent-free policy at the venue or event?
- Have sensory kits been considered for attendees?
- Are there regular and frequent breaks built into the conference schedule?
- What are the transportation options to and from the venue?
These questions give you an idea of how we help conference organizers reflect and think about changes they can make to be a more accessible conference.
Recommended Sensory Friendly Initiatives for an Accessible Conference Experience
Next, we helped the organizers with some very specific recommendations. For instance, some recommendations were:
- Clear signage: provide clear signage indicating toilets, conference rooms, and quiet spaces.
- Identify helpers: have staff or volunteers who can help attendees wear something identifying (e.g., a brightly coloured T-shirt) and communicate with attendees who have visual differences how they can easily identify helpers.
- Provide quiet spaces: designate quiet areas where individuals can take a break. These spaces should be free from loud noises, bright lights, and crowds.
Sensory Experience Coaching: Describing the Conference
One of the most appreciated parts of our training, appreciated by organizers and attendees alike, is sharing a sensory experience description of the conference. Below are some highlights, from the Sensory Experience Conference Description, from a few key senses. And you can easily see how sharing that sensory experience helps people make choices and understand what they can expect at conference. Choice and information are key components of fostering an accessible conference experience. The venue is the venue, and sometimes the physical environment is not changeable. Letting people know exactly what to expect is the first thing to do!
Sense of Hearing:
The venue will have healing spaces and designated quiet spaces, but some aspects of the event will be louder and more sensory rich, with segments of the schedule that may include music and singing.
Announcements will be made from the stage and microphones will be employed. There will be a variety of spaces used during the event; therefore, participants are encouraged to secure appropriate seating to accommodate their needs during plenary sessions and break-out sessions.
Senses of Movement and Balance:
Different areas of the conference venue may be carpeted or have hard surface flooring. Some segments of the conference may include dancing and movement. Note that the size of the corridors may affect persons using assistive walking devices.
The conference centre is on more than one level, and there is a glass paned pedway to the hotel on the second level.
Training Conference Volunteers: Champions of Inclusion
Finally, Sensory Friendly Solutions offered a training session for conference organizers and volunteers. Topics included:
- sensory sensitivity
- sensory overload
- the 8 senses! yes, there are more than 5
- possible triggers for each of the eight senses
- sensory-friendly solutions for each of the eight senses
- 3 exercises for participants to “experience” their sense of balance, movement and interoception
Accessibility and inclusion in all parts of the conference, from website, registration, sessions, hotels, and social events and venues are all locations and experience to consider and make sensory-friendly.
The Result: A Conference Where Everyone Felt Welcome
The “Let Us Help Each Other” conference was a resounding success. Over 300 attendees appreciated the organizers’ efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive environment and a more accessible conference.
Feeling overwhelmed by bright lights, loud noises, or crowded spaces can turn an exciting outing into a stressful experience. Unfortunately, many environments create these sensory challenges. The good news is, there’s a solution: sensory-friendly design. Our training membership equips you with the knowledge and tools to create a haven for all. Watch our short video about it:
Lessons Learned for Future Conferences
Sensory Friendly Solutions’ approach offers valuable lessons for any conference organizer. By prioritizing sensory awareness, clear communication, and volunteer training, conferences can become truly inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome to participate and contribute.
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Looking for funding ideas to be sensory-friendly trained or for your accessibility and inclusion initiatives? Read our blog Making Inclusion a Reality: Funding Your Sensory-Friendly Transformation.
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Christel Seeberger, BSc. O.T., is a regulated health care professional with over 30 years of experience in sensory disorders, disabilities and adapting environments. As someone with a hearing disability, Christel brings her personal lived experience with an invisible disability, sensory sensitivity and sensory overload to her work. In 2016, she founded Sensory Friendly Solutions to create a more sensory-friendly, accessible, and inclusive world through training, certification, product licensing, and product recognition. Christel’s expertise has been featured in guest blogs, as a radio and podcast guest, and in interviews with numerous media outlets, including CBC, CTV, Global News, AMI, Yahoo Life, the Globe and Mail, and local Fox TV/News.
