At the invitation of the Kyiv City State Administration, “The League of the Strong” public union held an online training on disabilities access to catering facilities in the capital of Ukraine. The training was attended by over 30 entrepreneurs – owners and managers of restaurants, cafes, bistros and coffee shops. They studied the requirements and norms in the field of architectural and information accessibility, correct communication and interaction with guests. This was reported by Volodymyr Vysotskyi, an expert of the League of the Strong public union.
“Creating a barrier-free space in a restaurant starts with honestly informing guests about its accessibility. This will allow people to make an informed decision about visiting it. It should be remembered that the inclusiveness of an establishment applies to both guests and employees, including people with disabilities,” said Volodymyr Vysotskyi, an expert at “The League of the Strong” NGO.
The issue of accessibility of restaurants, cafes, bars, and coffee shops is not only a matter of physical accessibility. The availability of information about the establishment and the menu, as well as the staff’s awareness of correct communication and interaction with different guests, are also important.
During the training, Volodymyr Vysotskyi introduced the participants to the basic requirements and standards in the field of architectural and information accessibility, web content accessibility, and the specifics of implementing reasonable accommodation elements. The training also focused on the need to involve inclusion specialists in the analysis of catering facilities and to communicate with guests. This approach will help to develop effective accessibility solutions tailored to the specific conditions of the establishment. It will also optimize the costs of disabilities transformations.
As a reminder, 150 employees of the Kyiv City State Administration and municipal institutions took the barrier-free course from the League of the Strong.
The Center of Expertise in the field of the rights of people with disabilities of the public union “League of the Strong” started its work in 2023. The key goal of its work is to provide expertise to local governments in their work on strategic documents governing the reconstruction and development of communities in terms of inclusiveness, barrier-free accessibility and ensuring the rights of people with disabilities.