Learn accessibility from direct experience

Enrica Rollo and Francesco Aprile of the non profit association "Io posso" ("I can"), creators of the wheelchair accessible and inclusive beach "La terrazza Tutti al Mare" in beautiful Salento (Southern Apulia) explain how the association was created, some practical details about the technical specifications of the beach set-up, how they provide bathing assistance to the disabled beachgoers, also those with more complex pathologies or with trachiothomy. 

They also give insights on the fundraising strategies that allow them to open the beach every summer and launch side projects, such as their accessible camper van.

Born from the wish and will of ALS patient Geatano Fuso, the Terrazza is a lively and colourful inclusive piece of Italy, and their methodology has been already implemented in other beaches in Italy.

The webinar is followed by a Q&A session with the speakers 

The speakers

Enrica Rollo

Enrica Rollo, medical device engineer, member of the Association "2HE -  Center for Human Health and Environment", has joined the project Io Posso since the start of activities for "La Terrazza "Tutti al mare!"

Francesco Aprile 

Francesco Aprile, trainer and counselor, was involed in the project Io Posso since the start in 2015. He is the coordinator of the "La Terrazza "Tutti al mare!" and manages the lively social media presence of the project. 

The webinar was held on 13 May 2020

For the italian version of this webinar, held by Giorgia Rollo and Francesco Aprile, visit our YouTube channel. Watch the English version here

Pieter Ghijsels, Policy Advisor for Accessibility gives an in-depht insight in how the regional tourism board of Flanders, Belgium, has been able to build one of the most efficient accessible destinations ecosystems. Pieter discusses the methodology of his organisation and how they were able to put together successfully the private and the public sector in developing a more inclusive destination.

The webinar is followed by a Q&A session with the speaker

The Speaker  

Working in the field of accessible / inclusive tourism since 20 years, first for the Belgian disability movement, now as a policy advisor for the tourism body Visit Flanders.

Passionate traveller, Pieter maintains a website about worldwide accessible travel (in Dutch) in his free time (visit the blog).

The webinar was held on 15 May 2020, you can watch it at this link 

 If you think that outdoor activities and extreme sports are not suited for people who have a mobility impairment, then you’ll enjoy meeting Jezza Williams, founder of adaptive adventure company Making Trax, and creator of the Making Trax quality seal.

Jezza is a C5 tetraplegic who trains outdoor companies to adapt their activities for people who have a mobility disability, and he is giving the outdoors industry in New Zealand the inclusive boost it needed. In this webinar you will have an introduction on how outdoor activities and even extreme sports can be adapted and inclusive with some practical add-ons and training.

The Speaker

 
A born adventurer from humble beginnings to a world traveller, international outdoor guide & pioneering adaptive adventure consultant. Kiwi country kid with a wilderness playground at his doorstep, who could imagine such a journey...

Jezza has over twenty years of experience, guiding internationally on spectacular rivers & canyons, adventuring into lost jungles, Patrolling steep and deep mountains. Working in wild environments: a life of risk taking and exploring limits. Jezza believes your only limitation is yourself.

After a life changing canyoning accident in 2010, there was no holding back. Two years of rehabilitation after losing all independence and coming within an inch of death Jezza now, as a tetraplegic, has never let his disability take control. He has never stopped pushing the limits. Jezza has gone from an able-bodied expert in adventure tourism to a world expert in inclusive tourism and travel, revolutionising adaptive adventure.

Always moving forward, became the first tetraplegic to complete the 26 000 km Mongol Rally from London to Mongolia and back again, and now is New Zealand's first tetraplegic solo paragliding pilot.

The webinar was held on 22 May 2020 - Watch it here

  How inclusive are museums around the world and how could they improve? We ask Rebecca McGinnis, Senior Managing Educator, Accessibility at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to talk about her experience at the MET. The MET has been creating inclusive exhibitions and activities for a long time, and their methodology is experimented and continously innovativing. The webinar aims at sharing some of their best practices so they can be succesfully implemented also in smaller museums.

The Speaker

 
Rebecca  McGinnis is the Senior Managing Educator for Accessibility at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She and her colleagues are internationally recognized for their pioneering programs for disabled people. Rebecca’s publications include “Who Does Inclusion Exclude?: Disability and the Limitations of Models of Inclusion” in What We May Be: Art Museums and the Implications of Special Programs (The Clark Art Institute, 2019). She co-convened with Art Beyond Sight the Multimodal Approaches to Learning conference (2005, 2007, 2009, 2012) and was a founding member and co-chair of the Museum Access Consortium (2000-2012). She teaches Accessibility in the Museum in Johns Hopkins University’s Museum Studies MA program. She holds MAs in Art History (Institute of Fine Arts, NYU) and Museum Studies (Leicester University, UK), and has completed doctoral work in Cognitive Psychology at Teachers College Columbia University.

The webinar was held on 25 May 2020

What are the latest trends in hotel accessibility? We ask Magnus Berglund, for many years in charge of accessibility at Scandic Hotels, and one of the most experienced professionals in this sector. Now that the travel business is at a standstill, it is the perfect moment to improve hotels and accommodations and be ready to re-open and be able to welcome more customers. All customers.

The speaker

Magnus Berglund has been the Accessibility Ambassador at Scandic Hotels from 2003 until recently. Magnus, as person in charge for all matters related to accessibility, has created a unique program for the Scandic hotels in various countries which has put Scandic in the world leading position in the tourism sector for accessibility for guests. His expertise and impact has been recognised by international media, such as the CNN, and he had received a number of international awards in the field of accessibility.

The webinar was held on 2 June 2020

Adaptive ski and snowboarding have gained a huge success in the past as inclusive and fun outdoors activities to do, where people who have a disability can enjoy time with everyone else, and some very fine technical equipment adapted for their specific needs by cutting edge companies.

Arinsal is a highly successfull ski resort in Andorra, and through years of hard work it has become a very well equipped and popular snow destination. We will hear their story and the everyday and future projects from Scott Maugham, who will also give plenty of inspiration for those wishing to add adaptive ski and snowboard options to their resorts and schools.

 The speaker

Scott Maughan is part of the management team at Arinsal Ski School. He is first and foremost a snow-sports instructor and teaches multiple snow-sport disciplines in the alpine, adaptive and snowboard field as well as being able to lead ski touring groups off piste. He is qualified through BASI (British Association of Snow-sports Instructors) for whom he is also an adaptive trainer and examiner.

The webinar was held on June 5 2020