The Turning Tides Project
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About The Project
    • Profiles
    • What People Are Saying (Social Impact) >
      • Individuals
      • Our Community
      • The Wider Community
      • The Company
    • Supporters
    • Who We Work With
    • Developing an Equal Access Workforce
    • The Social Model
    • Company Structure
    • Code of Conduct/Core Values
    • TTTP Charging Policy
    • Why We Are Called TTTP
    • Copyright
  • What's Happening
    • Sessions
    • Sports Sessions
    • Current Projects >
      • #Inclusive Journeys
      • Crediton Railway Heritage Project
      • Equal Access to Music Programme >
        • Jam Buddies Junior
        • Jam Buddies: Crediton
        • Jam Buddies: Okehampton
        • Family Jam >
          • #Grlpwr
          • Loud Tuesdays
          • Jedi and The Winstons
        • Bursaries for Individuals >
          • Bradley
          • Kira
          • Kier
          • Amy
          • Toby
        • Accessible Music Tech
        • Developing Equal Access Music Leaders
      • Turning Tides @ The Palace
      • Page Turners >
        • Ideas and Reads
      • Healthy Living
      • Turning Tesco #Inclusive
      • #Inclusive Sports Qualifications
      • EPIC MW
    • EPIC (Enabling Service)
    • Out Of The Box (Virtual Enabling)
    • Turning Tides Support Network (TTSN)
    • The Archive >
      • Making an Exhibition of Myself
      • Inclusive Music Session
      • Festival Tour 2017 >
        • Festival Preparation and Band Practice 2017
        • Exeter Respect Festival 2017
        • CredFest 17th June 2017
        • CredFest 24th June 2017
        • Ellen Tinkham Open Day 2017
        • D'ArtsFest 2017
        • LapStock 2017
      • QECC Project
      • Radio Vibe >
        • Around the World in 80 Waves
      • School Rulers
      • Twenty One Zombies
      • Bam-Ba-Lam Jam
      • Better Than...
      • The Songwriters
      • Morpheus at Arnos Vale
      • Okehampton College
      • Gallery
  • Products & Services
    • #Inclusive >
      • #Inclusive Endorsement
    • Turning Tides @ The Tea Rooms >
      • Shop
      • #InclusiveInk
    • Small Talk (Accessible Communication)
    • Training
    • Evaluation Services
    • Volunteering with TTTP
    • Employment Services
    • Mentoring
    • Catering Service
    • Another Root (Gardening Service)
  • Films & Music
    • Vimeo
    • YouTube
    • MixCloud
    • SoundCloud
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Out of The Box Festival

Blog

Come here for regular updates on what we're doing and other related news

Who Are The Experts: Presumptions of Equal Access & My Own Journey of Discovery

17/3/2019

Comments

 
There is much conjecture surrounding equal access in companies and organisations. Many proclaim Social Model readiness in light of a changing society. Yet, as I would come to quickly realize, an environment created on someone’s behalf, without their experience will likely not be equal. Creating truly inclusive facilities and discovering the right amount of support wanted requires discourse with those who want it (or don’t want it, as the case may be). Assumptions and guesses invariably fall short of the realities of people who face unequal access.
 
Recently we were tasked with writing a questionnaire for a music studio that we had been having some difficulty with, regarding accessing an Open Day. The questions were on the topics of accessibility, support and inclusivity of the course and the facilities. I found this to be an extremely difficult task and required the help of the group with every question; this is only natural - No amount of reflection, introspection, guesswork or hypothesizing will help me when I have never had to fight for my own equal access. I have no personal experience and therefore no reliable knowledge. Of course, I can learn, but I need experts to educate me on their own personal experience – a true first-person perspective.
 
In initial conversations with the music studio, a member of the marketing team had promised our visit to be fully facilitated and the group welcomed with open arms. They had left and been replaced by a new member of the marketing team, who, in a recent discussion had stated they were “worried about us coming.” I wondered how the studio could go from taking a (possibly) Social Model Approach to not – and not seeking help or asking question to change that. It highlighted the tentative and hazy nature of the idea of an equally accessible environment. What one individual saw as an equal access environment, another did not. It emphasized a lack of knowledge and experience that they, much like me, did not possess and were afraid to explore. Similarly, to how I had benefitted from the knowledge of my experienced teachers, the studio would also clearly gain insight from the group’s visit and could, in turn, use that knowledge to create an environment with improved equal access.
 
Claiming to have a fully inclusive environment, deemed inclusive by those that have never had any issue with access proves both ironic and problematic. Conversely, not being willing to listen or assuming the environment immediately is not, is just as problematic. The questionnaire was a good start and proved a willingness to engage and listen, but as I have come to realize, there are no halfway marks with equal access and an environment is not equal until those that face the inequality say it is. None the less, the first step is to try – that is the most important part!
 
Examples such as this highlight the decaying peripheries of unequal access as more and more companies are challenged to reconsider their environments. Companies needn't be worried. There is no universally applicable answer to creating an equal environment and it is understood that it is an issue not solved instantly. Rather, the process is a journey. It is not learnt innately, and neither is it expected to be. What is expected is a conscientious effort towards learning and towards listening to those that have the experience and knowledge, to the experts. Those with first hand personal experience.

Written by Tom Wood, Published by Dominic Palfreman
Comments

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Equal Access To Music
    #Inclusive Journeys
    Sofa Apart: COVID 19

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

© 2014 - 2021 The Turning Tides Project Community Interest Company. Company Number: 9053146.
Click here to visit the copyright webpage

Picture
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About The Project
    • Profiles
    • What People Are Saying (Social Impact) >
      • Individuals
      • Our Community
      • The Wider Community
      • The Company
    • Supporters
    • Who We Work With
    • Developing an Equal Access Workforce
    • The Social Model
    • Company Structure
    • Code of Conduct/Core Values
    • TTTP Charging Policy
    • Why We Are Called TTTP
    • Copyright
  • What's Happening
    • Sessions
    • Sports Sessions
    • Current Projects >
      • #Inclusive Journeys
      • Crediton Railway Heritage Project
      • Equal Access to Music Programme >
        • Jam Buddies Junior
        • Jam Buddies: Crediton
        • Jam Buddies: Okehampton
        • Family Jam >
          • #Grlpwr
          • Loud Tuesdays
          • Jedi and The Winstons
        • Bursaries for Individuals >
          • Bradley
          • Kira
          • Kier
          • Amy
          • Toby
        • Accessible Music Tech
        • Developing Equal Access Music Leaders
      • Turning Tides @ The Palace
      • Page Turners >
        • Ideas and Reads
      • Healthy Living
      • Turning Tesco #Inclusive
      • #Inclusive Sports Qualifications
      • EPIC MW
    • EPIC (Enabling Service)
    • Out Of The Box (Virtual Enabling)
    • Turning Tides Support Network (TTSN)
    • The Archive >
      • Making an Exhibition of Myself
      • Inclusive Music Session
      • Festival Tour 2017 >
        • Festival Preparation and Band Practice 2017
        • Exeter Respect Festival 2017
        • CredFest 17th June 2017
        • CredFest 24th June 2017
        • Ellen Tinkham Open Day 2017
        • D'ArtsFest 2017
        • LapStock 2017
      • QECC Project
      • Radio Vibe >
        • Around the World in 80 Waves
      • School Rulers
      • Twenty One Zombies
      • Bam-Ba-Lam Jam
      • Better Than...
      • The Songwriters
      • Morpheus at Arnos Vale
      • Okehampton College
      • Gallery
  • Products & Services
    • #Inclusive >
      • #Inclusive Endorsement
    • Turning Tides @ The Tea Rooms >
      • Shop
      • #InclusiveInk
    • Small Talk (Accessible Communication)
    • Training
    • Evaluation Services
    • Volunteering with TTTP
    • Employment Services
    • Mentoring
    • Catering Service
    • Another Root (Gardening Service)
  • Films & Music
    • Vimeo
    • YouTube
    • MixCloud
    • SoundCloud
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Out of The Box Festival