Accessibility
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Accessibility is a work in progress. We hope to ensure the space, resources and events are as accessible as possible as we work towards continually improving. In general, please ask for help to get your access needs met. Anyone in the space should be willing to help out in our "do-ocratic" culture.
To request access assistance in advance: You can write to secretary@noisebridge.net. You can also directly email Lizzard (who is a powerchair user) at lizzard@bookmaniac.org with questions about physical access. Or contact folks through:
Noisebridge
272 Capp St, You may also self-advocate for better access through the consensus process.
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Accessibility Guild maintains the accessibility of Noisebridge.
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RECRUITING! Maintainer volunteers wanted, consider volunteering to become a maintainer. | E |
Streaming Participation[edit | edit source]
- Noisebridge Meetings are being held online.
- Noisebridge Events like meetups and classes are being held online.
- We help our event organizers with streaming online so everyone can participate.
Why Streaming Is Essential To All[edit | edit source]
Streaming is a major priority for as many of our events as possible, as it not only helps people with accessibility issues but also numerous people who might attend events virtually the first time, some of the time or all of the time that they would otherwise not show up for physically.
- We want to grow our participation and this is a great way to expand our reach.
- People who attend virtually might like what they see and visit the space as well.
- COVID and commute distances are reasons why many able-bodied folks still prefer to attend virtually.
- MOOC courses can serve masses of people around the world and Noisebridge can expand its horizons beyond just teaching locally.
New Space Accessibility[edit | edit source]
- Noisebridge's new location has ground floor doors and is half on the ground floor.
- Plans for intra-floor communications via online access streaming should help people participate with things on the second floor easily.
- Elevator access to the second floor is being explored.
For the purposes of accessibility, an Electronics bench is downstairs in the hackitorium and a Sewing machine is available downstairs.
Current Accessibility Projects[edit | edit source]
- Elevator buildout is needed to make the second floor accessible to anyone who has trouble with the stairs.
- Layout of areas and within areas needs to be improved to make as many areas, resources and events as accessible as possible.
- Accessibility culture can be made part of everything we do so that we can open our doors and our streaming to many more new and old participants.
Planned Accessibility Features[edit | edit source]
As we moved into 272 and planned our buildout, we identified a lot of things we needed to do to improve accessibility. The Noisebridge Space Program/Accessibility page documents our efforts to ensure the new space is accessible.
The following is a summary of some of the planned accessibility features.
- Pathways: Critical pathways should be marked with taped lanes wide enough for accessibility vehicles and kept clear so all areas remain accessible.
- Bathrooms: Bathrooms should be ADA accessible.
- Support bars should be in place and signage indicating the bathroom is wheelchair accessible.
- Automatic toilet button should be in place.
- Emergency call button should be in place.
- Doors: Doors should be accessible for wheelchair users.
- Automatic doors will be looked into.
- Buzzers to request help with doors when those aren't in place.
- Tactile Accessibility: We don't yet have any braille technology expertise but we can look into braille tech to help those who want to use it.
- Audio Accessibility: Hearing aids could be stocked.
- Privacy: Streaming signage will alert people to live streams. Cameras and microphones will be announced and marked with signage to allow anyone who does not consent to being recorded.
Accessibility Policy Drafting Process[edit | edit source]
We are drafting accessibility statements and policies. These are work-in-progress and will be updated every meeting till completed.
Accessibility Statement Drafts[edit | edit source]
insert latest update here
Accessibility Policy Drafts[edit | edit source]
Accessibility Policy:
Noisebridge is dedicated to providing an accessible and boundary-free experience, regardless of any physical or mental constraints. We consider accessibility and ADA-compliance for people at our events and space to be of the utmost importance in encouraging education, creativity and equal access for all.
The standard of Excellence for accessibility is to prioritize the access and participation of disabled community members. Noisebridge shall be as open and accessible as possible.
In addition, we ask users of Noisebridge to keep in mind the relative social significance of privacy activism in the United States today. The nature of privacy may limit specific access on a case-by-case basis, but never for the sake of simple inconvenience or as an excuse to limit accessibility for those who are otherwise unable to participate at Noisebridge.
Different users of Noisebridge have different levels of access to the space and events. We acknowledge that both ableism and disability awareness is not enough to provide and maintain accessibility at Noisebridge.
When you are running an event or presentation at Noisebridge, provide reasonable notice and warning to allow others the opportunity to participate if they wish. With this — as anything else — each person has a responsibility to be considerate of the accessibility levels of others. Participation, projects, and events should strive to exist in a culture of equal access.