EMBRACE Our Difference is an opportunity for local charities, their members and government representatives to come together and discuss how Jersey can better accommodate and understand Islanders with disabilities.
Anthony Lewis, a government disability and inclusion officer, is one of the main organisers behind the campaign and uses lived experience to raise awareness,
The former JEP assistant editor had a severe stroke 17 years ago, and now suffers with aphasia, a disorder which means he struggles to communicate in verbal and written language.
Before he took on his government post, the father-of-three raised thousands of pounds for local causes by pushing himself to complete physical challenges such as the Jersey Marathon.
He continues to support and champion charities in his role to improve the lives of Islanders in line with Jersey’s disability inclusion strategy.
Mr Lewis described the Embrace Our Difference event at the Radisson Blu hotel at the Waterfront as “inspiring”, with numerous people from Jersey’s third sector due to come together to highlight the important work they do.
“There will be the chance to connect with the many people who work so hard to support people who share our vision to make Jersey a more inclusive place. It will be inspiring and thought-provoking, and full of ideas for how you can make a difference in making a difference,” Mr Lewis said.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities is a UN-recognised day that aims to lift barriers for those living with disabilities around the world.
Asked what progress had been made in Jersey since the event last year, Mr Lewis said that the disabled community “always want more” to be done to make the Island more inclusive.
“Not enough [has been done]. We always want more, so I can’t see a time when will sit back and think ‘job done’. We have made so much progress, but in some ways that only gives us the appetite for more. There is a long way to go, and we need to keep going relentlessly, step by step.”
There are an estimated 15,000 people living with disabilities in Jersey.
“It’s about being open-minded”
According to Mr Lewis, recruitment, access and workplace policies are the main areas that businesses should be focusing on to make themselves more inclusive.
“Basically it’s about being open-minded, and looking at what people can do, not what they can’t.”
With plans development plans for Fort Regent and the Waterfront due to be published by the Jersey Development Company next year, Mr Lewis emphasised the need for access.
“Access is a really important part of the planning process, but we must keep the focus on it, to make sure that the system works as it should. We need to keep the pressure on and the profile high, as designing for diversity is critically important. It’s not something which should just be left to trust,” he said.
Collaboration Challenge
As part of a Collaboration Challenge, local businesses were paired with charitable organisations to work together to see how amendments could be implemented to better suit clients with disabilities.
Visual impairment charity Eyecan was paired with Andium Homes, Jersey’s social housing provider, to assess whether their new properties were accessible for visually impaired Islanders.
Eyecan advised the housing provider that their sites – Edinburgh House and Cyril Le Marquand Court – could be made more accessible to those living with sight loss by amending the exterior paving which contained contrasting colours that the charity say is challenging for those with sight loss.
Mark Coxshall, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Eyecan provided advice to Andium on the development of their new sites in terms of contrast and communal areas not being accessible for those living with sight loss. Andium were very receptive and are actively working to review and adjust accordingly to support those living with a visual impairment.
“Not only are adjustments being planned for existing sites, but work has clearly been factored into new sites completed after these conversations started. Meetings are now planned with architects so that all new and emerging sites can factor this into new builds and not just those relating to Andium.”
Nikki Hayward, of Andium Homes, said: “By working in partnership with Eyecan we have been able to use their expertise to implement effective solutions to improve access to our developments and homes for those with visual impairments.”
“Through our discussions we all have recognised that it would be beneficial to collaborate with architects and design teams to ensure that accessibility for all is at the forefront when design spaces, not just on Andium Homes developments but throughout the Island.”
“Invaluable” partnership
Another partnership has seen Ports of Jersey receive advice from AllMatters Neurodiverse Jersey after implementing the Assisted Travel Provision at the Airport.
Sophie Alexander, head of sustainability and community value at Ports, said the partnership had been “invaluable” to help make travel easier for the neurodiverse community.
“We have loved working with Penny and Niamh from AllMatters Neurodiverse to help us with our goal to make travel easier for everyone. Since we took over the assisted travel provision at the Airport at the beginning of the year, they have been invaluable for supporting us with ideas and resources, as well as feedback so that we can continuously improve.
“Not only do they have the lived experience from travelling through our terminals, they are also qualified neurodiversity and inclusion trainers, so they have been the best possible team to work with.
“So many benefits”
Jersey Sport gave members of Jersey Mencap, which supports Islanders with learning difficulties, accessible sporting opportunities every week throughout the year as part of another collaboration.
Alex Wiles, manager at Jersey Mencap, said: “Working with Jersey Sport has brought so many benefits to Jersey Mencap and enabled many of our members to access sport every week. The sessions are accessible, fun and popular so we regularly see how this can improve overall wellbeing.”
Every week, Jersey Mencap users are offered health walks with wheelchair accessible routes, a circuits session with a personal trainer as well as a Boccia session by the government-funded sporting charity.
“It was important to our members to have consistency and reliability,” Ms Wiles added. “We always need to be accessible as many of our members have physical as well as learning disabilities. Jersey Sport bring the sporting expertise and all the equipment and a Jersey Mencap co-ordinator is always in attendance to offer that encouragement and specific support wherever needed.”
Claudia Andrade, inclusion and intervention officer at Jersey Sport, added that the partnerships help them in their aim to reduce inequalities to accessing sport.
“One of Jersey Sport’s main purposes is to increase participation in sport and physical activity and to focus on the least active Islanders and reduce inequalities. By collaborating with Mencap who share our same values, it has allowed us to help their members access sport on a weekly basis providing structure and allowing them to benefit from everything physical activity has to offer.
“If we are all able to work together our impact can be much bigger and this collaboration allows us to do exactly that.”
