Access checklists and toolkits

North Yorkshire Disability Forum (NYDF) and local disability forums have a strong and active interest in accessibility to premises and services for disabled people. In several areas, local access projects have been carried out or are underway, designed and led by volunteers.

Forums assess accessibility and give suggestions on improvements as experts by experience, not technical buildings or access inspectors. We describe our access work as follows:

‘It works for us’

We are a group of people with a wide range of access issues, who all have first-hand experience - the best experience there is.

We are here to help you not only meet your duties under the Equality Act but make your communities, buildings and services work for disabled people and their families. Solutions don’t always have to cost money.

We can help you grow your reputation as a responsible, thoughtful leader in your field. An investment in access is an investment in your organisation.

 

NYDF is developing checklists and toolkits for access work, and gathering good examples here to make them easier to share:

Selby and District Disability Forum - street mapping toolkit

Accessible Scarborough - shop accessibility criteria audit tool

Accessible Scarborough - restaurant and cafe accessibility criteria audit tool
 

Disability access: good for disabled people, good for everyone

Members of NYDF gave a presentation to North Yorkshire County Councillors on 7 March 2018 entitled 'Disability access: good for disabled people, good for everyone'.

You can view the presentation here.
 

Planning for all:  access and inclusivity

On 6th October 2019, NYDF members hosted a meeting with North Yorkshire District Council planning and Building Control officers, looking at ways that the planning system can make sure that buildings are fully accessible for disabled people. The event included a presentation and workshop with Jane Simpson, NRAC Access Consultant and Specialist Practice Advisor on access for the Royal Institute of British Architects. 

Presentations, notes and guidance sheets from the event are available below:

Planning for all meeting notes
Planning, regulations and accessibility presentation
Disability access concerns
Installing lifts
Inclusive school environments
Employer's responsibilities
School fire evacuation - strategies for inclusion
Are building regulations the inclusion standard to meet?
Standards for accessible housing in England
Useful information