When engaging with local communities, you will need to think about whether you’re doing so in an accessible way. “Accessibility” is an incredibly broad term. It can cover anything from legally protected characteristics, such as disability, race, age and gender, to much more informal and subtle factors, such as hidden power dynamics and making people feel at ease. When deciding how to engage with local communities in an accessible way, you need to: Identify the communities you wish to engage, being as granular as possible Identify any barriers which may exist between you and them by doing research into your target communities Consult best practice related to the specific barriers you identify Some useful resources to consult may be: The University’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion webpages University website accessibility guidelines University guidance on accessibility of teaching resources, which may also be useful for other settings Searching the SCVO, SCDC and NCCPE websites Joining relevant University and external communities of practice, including the Edinburgh Community Engagement Forum This article was published on 2024-07-22
