How can everyone in our society participate without limitations?
Did you know that 2 million Dutch people live with a disability? Visually impaired, blind, deaf, a motor disability, a mental disability, psychological problems: a disability comes in many shapes and sizes. People with a disability cannot always participate in our society the way they would like to.
Time for change!
Five years ago, the Netherlands signed the UN Convention on Disability. The objective of this convention is clear: everyone should be able to participate. But how do you do that? And how can you help? The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, partner of the Embassy of Inclusive Society, produced the podcast ‘Unlimited participation! This podcast (in Dutch) discusses the subject in a light-hearted way and provides practical tips. Host and experience expert Eva Eikhout talks to municipalities, schools and entrepreneurs. And, of course, people with disabilities, they literally and figuratively run into problems every day. Sometimes the solution to the problem is very simple and straightforward. Together we are going for a more accessible society: will you join us?
Episode 1: Unhindered Movement
Everyone in the Netherlands should be able to move freely on the street, in transport or in a building. Bridges, tunnels, shopping centres, offices, roundabouts: sometimes only small adjustments are needed to make things accessible to everyone. Yet this does not always happen and people with disabilities regularly encounter problems. How can we together ensure that municipalities take this into account even more? Often, this does not lie in difficult policy choices but in pragmatic solutions.
Marina Aalbers from the municipality of Amersfoort and Detmer Hoekstra from the municipality of Zwolle explain how they go about this and also what they come up against. Esther Döll and Jan Pijnaker, both visually impaired, give advice: handy tips and tricks to tackle possible problems in the design phase. With the mission: Unlimited movement in the public space.
Episode 2: Unhindered Development
Everyone in the Netherlands should be able to develop themselves through study, internship or work. Still, students and job seekers with disabilities have problems finding a study or internship and with the transition from school to work. How can educational institutions and employers increase the career opportunities of students with disabilities and where can they find help?
Eva Eikhout talks about this with Laura Metwally, advisor at Expertise Centre Inclusive Education (ECIO), Roos Hoelen, working at Inclusive Foundation, and Marissa Burghardt-van der Tol, student, politician and expert by experience. They talk about studying, doing an internship and working. Laura, Roos and Marissa are connected through the project Social Service Career Opportunities (MDTL). They explain what this project can mean for students, job seekers, educational institutions and employers. They also give handy tips and tricks to tackle possible problems. Their mission is: Developing without limits through study and work. Together, we are going for a more accessible society.
Episode 3: Unhindered Enjoyment
Surely everyone in the Netherlands should be able to enjoy a festival or amusement park? For people with a disability, however, this does not always make sense. Sometimes only small adjustments are needed to improve accessibility. Yet this does not always happen and people with disabilities regularly encounter problems. How can we together ensure that this is taken into account even more? Often, the answer is not to be found in difficult policy choices, but in simply doing it.
Eva Eikhout discusses this with Johan Kampman of Zwarte Cross, Jeroen van de Koppel of HandicapNL and experience expert and festival lover Niek de Jonge. They will tell you all about organising a festival in the most inclusive way possible. How do you make sure a festival is accessible for everyone, even if the terrain is not easily accessible? What can you do for festivalgoers with a disability who want to stay overnight on the campsite? Later on, Koen Sanders, Director of Commercial Affairs, Creation and Development of the Efteling, and Richard de Witte, an experience expert working for the Dutch Autism Association (NVA), join Eva to share their tips and tricks for an accessible theme park.
Our mission is: enjoyment without limitations for everyone! Together, we are going for a more accessible and hospitable society.