How to Create Inclusive Spaces
A thriving community involves creating an inviting space for everyone. Society’s collective goal should be to make workplaces and recreational areas accessible to all. Creating more approachable spaces acknowledges that there is more than one way to live while making the community more whole. Below are some quick tips and examples to make spaces more inclusive.
What It Means To Be Inclusive
Inclusivity means creating an environment where everyone feels welcome. It means that a person, regardless of their age, race, gender, or abilities, should feel comfortable in that environment. If, for instance, someone feels out of place, it is likely because that place isn’t as inviting as it could be.
The goal for every business, institution, public area, and online space should be to make people feel as valid as any other person there. Here are the core reasons why:
- Social Growth: Inclusive spaces create opportunities for people of different backgrounds and abilities to interact, share experiences, and form friendships. They will help bring people closer together rather than segment them.
- Economic Growth: A space made for everyone will widen accessibility and appeal to a broader audience. This is especially true for businesses trying to expand their reach.
- Psychological Growth: An inclusive environment will give more people a sense of belonging and value. Consideration of everyone’s emotional well-being will reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Accessibility in Physical Spaces
Accessibility is one of the chief components of making any space more approachable and enjoyable for everyone. That said, what that looks like will vary depending on your space.
Parks and Playgrounds
If you’re tasked with designing a park or playground where you intend to host visitors, it’s important to consider all ages and abilities. For example, you can include a range of swing sets suitable for older children, toddlers and infants, making swinging available to everyone. Additionally, consider installing adaptive swings designed for children in wheelchairs, ensuring that all kids can enjoy the fun.
Another example of thinking about accessibility in design is implementing ground-level and sensory play components in your park. Features like sand tables, tactile panels, and musical instruments are great for children with lower mobility. Incorporating quiet areas or sensory-friendly zones can help accommodate children with sensory sensitivities as well.
Urban Areas
In high-traffic, congested cities and towns, sidewalks should be wide enough to accommodate people in wheelchairs. Additionally, ramp transitions should be periodically placed along curbs for easier access from shoulder to sidewalk.
One of the most significant challenges facing urban accessibility on sidewalks today is the increase of ride-share e-scooters. While popular, e-scooters are criticized for cluttering the streets and sidewalks of cities all over the U.S. Until more solid regulations are established for containing these scooters, encourage users to place them out of the way of walking paths. That way, individuals with disabilities can easily maneuver through urban areas.
Workplace Environments
Businesses can introduce accessibility in their workspaces by incorporating elevators, ramps, accessible restrooms, and clear signage for easy navigation. Beyond physical accessibility, workplaces can provide adjustable workstations with ergonomic office equipment to promote office worker health and wellness.
Additionally, they can create quiet rooms for those who need a calm environment, offer flexible work hours to accommodate different needs, implement diverse hiring practices to ensure a range of perspectives, and provide ongoing training on inclusivity and unconscious bias to foster a welcoming environment for all employees. When businesses take a proactive interest in their workers’ well being, it makes for a more compassionate and caring workplace.
Security in Physical Spaces
Inclusivity involves ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their background or identity, feel safe, respected, and valued. Security measures help create a safe environment where everyone can participate fully without fear of harm or discrimination. This includes physical safety, emotional well-being, and protection from harassment or threats. By addressing security concerns, organizations and communities can better promote inclusivity.
Outdoor Security
In addition to regular security cameras, consider installing blue-light “panic buttons” around your property to give visitors easy access to security personnel when needed. Fencing and gates can also add a layer of comfort and protection, especially for parents with small children.
Indoor Security
Post clear, easy-to-read signage to enforce anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. People of all backgrounds will feel more welcome when they notice your efforts to cultivate an environment of kindness and courtesy. Ensure that all areas of your space are well-lit. This will aid people with visual impairments and make everyone feel safer.
Accessibility and Security in Digital Spaces
Like in-person settings, online spaces can benefit from improved accessibility. Think of your organization’s website as its digital storefront. Many people who interact with your organization in person will also visit your website, so you want the accessibility of your website to mimic the inviting space you mold in real life.
Ways to Make Your Website More Accessible
Here are some of the most impactful ways you can make your website more user-friendly for everyone:
- Simplify Navigation: Ensure website navigation is straightforward and intuitive to avoid overwhelming users with too many options.
- Use Clear and Consistent Layouts: A consistent layout helps users know where to find information and makes the content more accessible to process.
- Provide Text Alternatives: Offer text alternatives for visual and auditory content, including captions, transcripts, and alt text.
- Enable Customization: Allow users to adjust font sizes, colors, and contrast settings to create a comfortable viewing experience.
- Avoid Flashing or Moving Content: Flashing or rapidly moving content can be distracting and harmful, so keep animations minimal.
- Use Plain Language: Write content in plain, straightforward language to make information simpler to understand.
Make Your Website More Secure
Online inclusivity also means providing people with a space where their personal data is handled responsibly. You can do this by enforcing strong password policies. After people land on your website, present them with a clear explanation of how you’ll use their data. You should also monitor the account activity and notify your users of any suspicious login attempts.
Be a Leader In Inclusivity, and Others Will Follow
Inclusivity is about more than meeting accessibility standards. It’s about supporting people in every situation and showing them you’re on their side. But making your space welcoming to everyone will take time. Start small with changes you can implement quickly and gradually work toward larger improvements. With a few focused efforts, your organization will quickly be known as a safe place for all.
