This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Running from the 13th to the 19th March 2023, the week celebrates the uniqueness of neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and much more.
At GCRP, it’s important to us that awareness weeks are more than that, more than one week of showing our commitment to individuals with neurodiverse conditions. That’s why we wanted to share an update on a couple of projects we have been working on...
Alayne, our Community Rail Development Officer, shares details of our ‘Calm Corner’ programme with support from the Mima Group, a human led design agency.
Working in partnership with Cotswold National Landscape, GCRP have commissioned a feasibility study for a Cotswold Calm Corner. Our aim is to design a socially inclusive space at or near a train station with close links to the Cotswold AONB that benefits rail users with protected characteristics, particularly including those with non-visible disabilities and multi-faith backgrounds. As part of this report, we are supporting a lived experience workshop, bringing together people with a range of impairments and access requirements including physical, sensory and neurodivergence. Their valuable insights and lived experience will help to advise us on the benefits of a station-based calm corner, and the technical design requirements that should be met to improve travel experiences for the widest range of people. We understand that planning a journey and navigating a station environment can be overwhelming for many people, and we hope that this report will raise awareness of these transport barriers and create a more positive and inclusive rail experience in the future.
Molly, our Access and Inclusion Lead, shares an update on our access audit.
The access audit aims to complement our Accessibility and Inclusion Programme by opening up Gloucestershire destinations to a wider audience through clarity regarding the physical and social accessibility of the destination experience. Inclusion Gloucestershire with Experts by Lived Experience have audited 20 visitor destinations across the county to clarify the level of provision including a gap analysis and recommendations for enhanced access to specific visitor locations in Gloucestershire. The auditors considered all stages of the visit, from planning, online information, transport, getting around at the destination, and safe inclusive spaces, from a range of perspectives and lived experience, and recorded any disabling barriers. We will be sharing the recommendations made by Inclusion Gloucestershire auditors with the destinations and hope to work in partnership to support the destinations to implement improvements to increase accessibility and inclusion for everyone, including neurodivergent individuals.
Join us in celebrating and get involved in this week’s activities at www.neurodiversityweek.com.
We’ll be sharing updates on these projects so keep an eye out on our blog, website and social channels for more information!