CAE training will support disabled people to champion and influence inclusion in the built environment, enabling them to be in a position to influence and shape local decisions that impact them.
We will do this by providing free training on our public training courses, which include access auditing, external environments, wayfinding and equality impact assessments.
We will also work with policy makers, providing funded training to local authorities and other stakeholders who have an influence on the built environment so that they have the tools to engage with disabled people in more meaningful ways. This engagement could be by consulting with local disabled people or access groups and by conducting Equalities Impact Assessments.
Pave the way
As highlighted in the Pave the Way report published by Transport for All in January 2021, increasingly, disabled people don’t feel listened to by policy makers or have not been consulted on key changes being made in the built environment.
The report highlights disabled people’s concerns on barriers to travel in their local neighbourhoods as a result of low traffic neighbourhoods and changes made due to the pandemic.
Approximately 72 per cent of disabled people reported issues with how changes have been communicated, lack of consultation or information provided, quality or accessibility of information and not receiving a warning before changes were made to their local areas.
Informed voices
CAE’s Head of Business Development, Fara Muneer said: “CAE training will help disabled people in having an informed voice with which to support improved access to roads, streets and spaces, accessing their local communities and removing barriers to travel.”
“We are delighted to receive this grant which will target the impact COVID has had for disabled people when accessing built environment, in particular barriers access to streets, neighbourhoods and local services.”
Streets and neighbourhoods are central to a community and should be accessible to all. Initiatives that bring about changes within a community’s built environment must not negatively impact disabled people.