Trinity Ability co-op launches project to make clubs and societies more inclusive

Posted on: 25 August 2021

The Trinity Ability co-op has launched the Toward Inclusive Clubs and Societies Project this week. The project is funded by the Trinity Trust and aims to support the development of clubs and societies that are inclusive to students with disabilities in Trinity.

Students with disabilities are often excluded from the social aspect of the student experience. The Trinity Ability co-op identified improving the inclusion of disabled students in clubs and societies as a key objective and this project will make real changes in the individual lives of Trinity students.

Elements of the project

The Inclusive Clubs and Societies Checklist

This checklist asks societies and clubs to answer questions about different elements of running their organisation. Each section asks about specific aspects of inclusion and accessibility. This will provide clubs and societies with a starting point to make changes in the future. They will be given a report with solutions to any negative answers, as well as a score. Those with a score of 25/40 and higher will receive a digital badge that will show students with disabilities which clubs and societies will be welcoming to them.

The Trinity Inclusive Clubs and Societies Guidelines

This guide will outline how clubs and societies can become inclusive to disabled students in more detail. It is student-focused and provides information about running a student organisation such as disability etiquette, planning an event, social media accessibility, and inclusive physical and social environments. The Trinity Inclusive Clubs and Societies Guidelines will offer clubs and societies the information they need to improve their accessibility and inclusion, and their checklist score.

Training videos

These videos offer an overview of the Towards Inclusive Clubs and Societies Project’s key recommendations. There are four videos in total; featuring members of the Trinity Ability co_op, the Disability Service interns, Provost Linda Doyle, Associate Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Lorraine Leeson, Senior Dean Eoin O’Sullivan, Mark Pollock, Vivian Rath and Jemil Saidi, Chair of DUCAC.

The resources created as part of the Towards Inclusive Clubs and Societies Project contain many recommendations on what changes can be made in clubs and societies to become more inclusive to disabled students.  These are the key recommendations;

1.          Create a social environment that is inclusive to people with disabilities.

2.            Host activities in accessible spaces.

3.            Introduce an Accessibility and Inclusion Officer

There are over 1,800 students registered with the Disability Service. In 2021, 12% of students in Trinity declared disabilities. The majority of these are invisible.

Rachel Murphy, Project Lead, said:

It has been a pleasure to lead the Trinity Ability co_op’s Towards Inclusive Clubs and Societies Project this summer. Societies, clubs and other student organisations give people the opportunity to make lifelong friendships, develop their interests and skills alongside the academic side of college. This has been such an important part of my college experience being involved in societies and the Trinity Ability co_op. All students should be able to enjoy the social aspects of Trinity, and I hope that this project makes that possible.

Rachel Murphy is a rising final year History student and summer intern with the Disability Service.

Declan Treanor, Director of Trinity Disability Service, said:

The Trinity Ability Co_op is launching the Towards Inclusive Clubs and Societies this week with training for CSC this Thursday – this project is significant and has developed excellent resources. The checklist is a useful start for any club or society to see the level of accessibility. The guidelines content is brilliant, an easy-to-follow guide giving useful resources to help those thinking about accessibility. Finally the training videos with the Provost speaking along with many others on accessibility, inclusion and what belonging means really helps those committed to inclusion get it. Jemil, the Chair of DUCAC, also shows real commitment to inclusion. Please review these resources and they are transferable across any type of service and support – well done Rachel.

Notes

The Trinity Ability co_op is a cooperative movement led by students with disabilities towards radical inclusion in Trinity College Dublin.