Inclusive Towns Guidefor businesses

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Inclusive Towns is a project which aims to increase the accessibility of local businesses for people with disability. It is a partnership between the City of Greater Bendigo and the Loddon Shire Council, with support from the State Government.

Inclusive Towns focuses on three key areas:

Inclusive Towns aims to create an inclusive community in which people with disability have the same opportunities and choice as those without.

About this guide:

Inside this booklet you will find information on:

• Why Inclusive Towns is important for your business

• Your legal responsibilities

• Disability statistics

• Tips on how your business can be more accessible and inclusive

• How you can use the Inclusive Towns logo

• Where you can go to get more information

Message from Mayors

The City of Greater Bendigo and Loddon Shire Council are committed to increasing accessibility for people of all abilities in the community. Inclusive Towns aims to improve community participation for people with disability. It is a partnership project between both Councils with support from the State Government.

Our region has many fantastic local businesses. Ensuring they can be accessed and enjoyed by all our community members is good for both residents and business owners. We thank you for your support and involvement in the project and hope it is a valuable experience for you and your business. Your support will help make our region inclusive for everyone.

Mayor Cr Margaret O’Rourke, City of Greater Bendigo

Mayor Cr Neil Beattie, Loddon Shire

What is Inclusive Towns?

Inclusive communication

Physical environment

Disability awareness

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Why Inclusive Towns is important for your business

Every person with a disability is a potential customer. People with disability can be loyal customers to establishments that cater to their needs, which can mean more sales for your business.

Improving the accessibility of local businesses benefits everyone, especially people with disability, parents with prams, people with English as a second language and older residents.

Diversifying and expanding your customer base is a smart business approach.

Make sure you don’t discriminateIt is against the law to discriminate against a person with disability under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 and Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Disability discrimination is when a person with disability is not given the same opportunity and choice as someone without disability.

You need to make reasonable adjustments for people with disability to have these same opportunities and choice. You cannot refuse to provide your services or access to a person with disability.

‘Reasonable adjustments’ are defined as changes to the environment that allow persons with disability to access goods, services, facilities and employment in a safe and fair manner. We have included examples of reasonable adjustments in this guide, which will help ensure your business is accessible to people with disability.

TOP TIPAssistance animals can be identified by a blue jacket, or the owner will have a licence to prove their animal is an assistance animal.

The following resources can support your business to become more accessible:

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC)provides information about your legal accessibility obligations.

Visit www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au for more information.

Disability Discrimination Act guide (Australian Human Rights Commission) provides a brief summary of the Disability Discrimination Act, as well as how it can be applied to employment and the provision of goods, services and facilities.

Visit www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/ guides/brief-guide-disability-discrimination-act for more information on the Act.

Assistance animals You must allow assistance animals to enter your premises. These can include service dogs and support dogs. It is against the law to deny a person with disability access to your premises or services because they have an assistance animal.

TOP TIPIt is important for all staff to be aware of this and to include disability awareness in your staff training.

40% of adultsidentify as having some form

of disability or long-term health condition.

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

25%The percentage of people with a

disability is projected to increase by

25% by 2020 in accordance with the ageing population

Compared to the rest of the population, people with disability are:

More likely to experience some form of discrimination 23% compared with 17%

More likely to assess their health and wellbeing as poor 13% compared with 0.8%

10%

of the population have dyslexia

Australia ranks lowest among OECD countries

for the relative income of people with a disability

AUSTRALIA27TH

26TH

25TH

24TH

Disability statistics

1 in 6 Australians are affected by hearing loss

44%

44% (7.3M) of Australians experience difficulty using many of the printed materials encountered in daily life. Examples include menus, information booklets, forms, timetables and guides.

10%

5.3%

In 2015, the unemployment rate for people with disability

was 10%; higher than that for people without disability

at 5.3%. A significant proportion of these people

are looking for employment.

31%In 2014/2015 31% of discrimination complaints to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) were lodged under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

34%

37%

Complaints about employment

Complaints involving the provision of goods, services and facilities

People with disability generally take fewer days off, take less sick leave and stay in jobs longer than other workers.

Local population living with disabilityGreater Bendigo – 20,313Loddon Shire – 1,333

20,313

1,333

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Some forms of disability can affect a person’s ability to communicate.

Inclusive communication benefits people with varying communication needs, including Auslan users, people with low literacy and people with English as a second language.

Below are some tips that can assist you or your staff in being able to communicate with all your customers:

Alternative formats – Provide written information in alternative formats, such as menus with pictures or braille, use plain English and large font size.

Contact info – Display opening hours and contact details clearly on your store front and online.

Signage – Provide clear directional signage that promotes the alternative formats or accessible features that you provide.

Listen – Focus on what the customer is saying or trying to communicate to you and do not interrupt.

Lip reading – Make sure you face the customer when speaking to them. Ensure there is no dim lighting or bright lights behind you may make it difficult for your customer to see your face.

Be clear – Address the customer directly, use your normal tone and volume of voice. If possible, reduce background noise.

Allow time – Be patient. Allow your customer to take their time when speaking or answering questions. Don’t overload them with information.

Write it down – Always have pen and paper available in case they are a person’s preferred choice of communication.

Interpreters and communication aids – If a customer has an Auslan (sign language) interpreter or a communication assistant with them, speak directly to the customer and not the interpreter.

Non-verbal communication – Be aware of electronic and non-electronic communication aids including tablets or picture communication boards.

Website access – Ensure your website has audio description and screen reader capabilities, clear layout and the ability to increase font size without losing content.Inclusive Communication Tip Sheet

TOP TIPInclude your opening hours and information about your services in your business’s answering machine message.

TOP TIPAsk your sign writer to include Braille on your signage.

““I find it really handy when a business has a spare pair of reading glasses or a magnifying glass for me to use when I forget my own.”

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

The following resources can support your business to become more communication accessible:

Vision Australia is a leading national provider of blindness and low vision services.

Vision Australia can:

• Provide you with a free Web Accessibility Toolbar that assesses web accessibility

• Turn your written documents into braille or large print

• Provide you with a colour contrast analyser to determine colour visibility

• Create electronic text and tactile diagrams of your information

For more information please visit www.visionaustralia.org or contact the Bendigo office directly on 5445 5700.

Scope is a not-for-profit organisation that offers support for businesses and services to be more inclusive.

Scope Australia offers:

• A corporate and community education and training program

• A building advisory service that provides advice on creating accessible buildings

• Support in developing written information in ‘Easy English’

For more information please visit www.scopeaust.org.au or call 1300 472 673.

Scope’s Communication Access initiative promotes and recognises businesses and services where people with communication difficulties are heard and understood.

Businesses that take part in the initiative are awarded a Communication Access Symbol which means:

• Staff are welcoming and treat everyone with dignity and respect

• Staff are able to communicate successfully with people with communication difficulties

• Communication tools are available to help people get their message across and understand what people are telling them

For more information about the Communication Access initiative visit www.scopeaust.org.au/service/communication-access

Vicdeaf is the leading State provider of training and services for both the hearing and Deaf communities.

Vicdeaf provides:

• Free training on the National Relay Service

• Advice on how to create a more accessible environment for the Deaf community

• Basic sign language (Auslan) courses

• Hearing awareness training

Visit www.vicdeaf.org.au or call 03 9473 1111 for more information.

National Relay Service is a phone-based solution for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. Your business may receive a phone call from someone who uses this service.

To find out more about the National Relay Service visit www.relayservice.gov.au or call 1800 555 660.

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Some forms of disability can affect a person’s ability to move around your business.

Physical accessibility benefits people with varying mobility needs, including parents with prams and the elderly.

Below are some tips that will assist you and your staff in creating an accessible physical environment:

Accessible entry – Provide a portable or fixed ramp and clearly mark steps. Have a wider doorway, automatic or button press doors, or make the door easier to open. Position door handles at an easier height.

Clear entrance – Keep your entrance free of barriers that impede access to the entrance itself, such as signage or other obstacles.

Clear paths of travel – Provide wide internal walkways to accommodate mobility aids. Keep aisles and open spaces free from obstacles.

In store access – Provide tables that are high enough to accommodate a powered wheelchair. Clearly mark altered gradients or obstacles.

Counter access – Provide a clear path to main service counters and, if possible, a low service counter with a seat.

Accessible toilets – Provide an accessible toilet and do not place obstacles in the room, or provide information on where the nearest accessible toilet or Changing Place is.

Physical Environment Tip Sheet

TOP TIPIf you are not able to provide an accessible entry, install a door bell for people to seek staff assistance to access your goods and services.

TOP TIPKeep your goods at an easy to reach height.

TOP TIPKeep your counters clear of clutter to allow a space for people to organise their belongings.

““My local café has a portable ramp that is laid out for me when I knock on their window. This is really handy and user friendly for both the business and me.”

The following resources can support your business to become more accessible:

Bendigo Accessibility Maps provide information to assist people of all abilities to get around the City of Greater Bendigo. These are available for Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat, Heathcote and Bendigo. Maps include features such as accessible toilets, scooter/wheelchair charge up points, audible pedestrian crossings and much more.

Visit www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/About/Document-Library/bendigo-access-map or the Bendigo or Loddon Visitor Centers to view the Access Maps.

Mobility modifications There are a range of customised ramps and modifications available from mobility centres across the Greater Bendigo and Loddon Shire region.

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Come In... We’re Accessible is an initiative of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) that aims to improve accessibility in the retail and hospitality sectors. Come In... We’re Accessible encourages businesses to complete a self-assessment to further identify areas where accessibility can be improved upon.

Visit www.accessiblebusiness.com.au for more information and to complete the self-assessment.

Loddon Accessible Accommodation Guide The Loddon Shire Council has developed an Accommodation Access Checklist which assists accommodation providers to improve their access. The checklist provides businesses with a guide to use when planning improvements, and also provides an avenue for businesses to promote their accessibility.

Visit www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Invest/Supporting-business/Accessible-Accommodation-Guide to view the checklist and to access additional resources.

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Businesses must only display the Inclusive Towns icons if they are participating in the project.

Stickers will be supplied to businesses (148mm x 105mm in size), and should be displayed in the bottom corner of the nearest front facing window to the opening side of the door, or on the door itself.

To ensure the Inclusive Towns icons are used in a manner that is clear and legible, use of the icons must adhere to the following guidelines:

Colour – The icons must only be reproduced in orange or black, with the illustration always remaining white. If the background colour/image the icons are being used on causes them to become difficult to decipher, a white keyline can be placed around them to help them stand out.

Minimum size – To ensure legibility, the icons must never be reproduced less that 5mm in print, or less than 30px for digital applications.

Placement – The icons must always be used as a group, and not be split up or separated. They should always be placed where they can easily be recognised and not lost amongst other design elements.

Use of the Inclusive Towns Logo

Working together to create

Inclusive Towns

Inclusive communication

Physical environment

Disability awareness

C 0, M 40, Y 100, K 0 R 247, G 166, B 0

C 0, M 0, Y 0, K 100 R 0, G 0, B 0

5mm, 30px

Inclusive Towns Guide for businesses

Contact the City of Greater BendigoIf you have any questions about Inclusive Towns, or how your business can become more inclusive and accessible, please contact the Disability Inclusion Team at the City of Greater Bendigo on 5434 6000 or inclusivecommunities@bendigo.vic.gov.au

There are a number of employer incentives available if you are an employer of a person with a disability:

JobAccess is a national hub for workplace and employment information for people with disability, employers and service providers.

JobAccess can:

• Provide your business with financial support

• Connect you with the disability employment sector

• Provide you with information on how to create a flexible work environment

• Assist you to develop disability employment strategies and employee support plans

• Provide you with advice on recruiting and retaining the right employees

• Provide you with the tools, resources and information on employing people with disability

Contact JobAccess at 1800 464 800 or on www.jobaccess.gov.au for more information.

For More Information

Statistics included in this booklet have been sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Health Organisation.

Other sources that have been referenced in the development of this booklet include the Campaspe Welcoming Business program, Accept Difference, the Australian Network on Disability, Bunbury City Council and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.