Challenge #41 – Improving Accessibility and Inclusion at Events

In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to communicate across language barriers is more important than ever. For events, ensuring language accessibility is not just a logistical consideration but a fundamental aspect of inclusivity and diversity. Whether it’s through translation services, Signed Language interpretation, or other accessibility measures, making sure everyone can participate fully is essential. Here, we explore the importance of language accessibility at events and how it can transform the attendee experience.

Bridging Language Barriers: A Case Study from CWSC

The 2024 Coworking Spain Conference (CWSC) in Madrid included English translation, enabling wider participation despite Spanish being the primary language. This effort underscores the importance of making events accessible to non-native speakers. CWSC, now in its 13th year, began offering translations for the main track in 2019, covering about 80% of the content. This initiative has made the conference more inclusive, attracting attendees from diverse backgrounds and ensuring they find the event valuable despite language barriers.

Conferences should be organized locally by experts who can share their knowledge globally. This local-to-global approach makes the coworking industry unique, fostering the exchange of best practices and learnings. CWSC exemplifies diversity and inclusivity, representing different regions, experience levels, and industry players, from newcomers to veterans. Marc Navarro (CWSC Content Director) from Barcelona, Catalonia, where Spanish and Catalan are co-official languages, Manuel Zea (CWSC CEO) and Laura Martin (CWSC Marketing and Communications Manager) both from Madrid, worked to make CWSC more accessible since 2019.

Translation services are expensive. To manage costs, CWSC translates the main track only, relying on professional translators and specialized equipment. In 2019, a sponsor covered the entire translation cost, making it feasible without financial loss. While it’s a financial risk for organizers, it significantly enhances accessibility and inclusivity.

Event organizers should prioritize inclusion and accessibility, both online and in person. This includes seeking grant funding or sponsorship to support these initiatives. Sponsors should also prioritize supporting inclusive measures. Relationships with sponsors should be built on mutual value, with creative solutions tailored to their goals and values.

Coworking operators producing local events can also enhance inclusivity in various ways. Simplifying the registration process, ensuring accessibility for neurodiverse individuals, and accommodating those with sight or auditory differences are a few examples. Gathering feedback from attendees on how to improve their experience can provide valuable insights and further enhance inclusivity. By making small changes and being open to feedback, coworking events can become more inclusive for everyone.

Practical Considerations for Implementing Language Accessibility

While the benefits of language accessibility are clear, implementing it effectively requires careful planning and resources. Here are some practical steps to consider:

1. Assess the Audience Needs: Understand the linguistic and accessibility needs of your audience. Conduct surveys or gather data to identify the languages spoken and any specific requirements for interpretation services.
2. Budget for Accessibility: Allocate a portion of your event budget to cover translation and interpretation services. This includes hiring professional translators, renting equipment, and providing materials in multiple languages.
3. Collaborate with Experts: Work with language accessibility experts to ensure high-quality services. This could involve partnering with translation agencies, hiring certified ASL interpreters, and consulting with accessibility specialists.
4. Promote Accessibility Options: Clearly communicate the availability of language accessibility services in your event promotions. Let attendees know what support is available and how they can access it.
5. Gather Feedback and Improve: After the event, seek feedback from attendees on the effectiveness of the language accessibility measures. Use this feedback to make improvements for future events.

Language accessibility is a necessity for fostering an inclusive and engaging event environment. By providing translation, Signed Language interpretation, and other accessibility services, event organizers can ensure that all participants feel valued and can contribute fully. This commitment to inclusivity not only enhances the attendee experience but also enriches the event as a whole, making it a truly global platform for collaboration and innovation.

This month’s challenge aims to inspire event hosts and organizers to think creatively about inclusion and accessibility in their events, and to continue prioritizing this learning.

We invite you to join this month’s free IDEA Conversation on August 21st – co-hosted by Ashley Proctor (Coworking Canada) and Natalie du Toit (European Coworking Assembly) where we will expand this conversation more broadly to discuss accessibility and inclusion from multiple perspectives, and to explore solutions that are working for others.  All are welcome!