Accès is Liberate’s accessibility scheme for organisations. The scheme awards organisations with the Accès “kitemark” that demonstrates to employees and customers that the organisation takes accessibility for the disabled community seriously. We hope that the Accès badge will become a trusted symbol for people in Jersey with a disability – they will know that they can enter that workplace, as a customer or employee, and be confident that the barriers to inclusion that they encounter will be adjusted for, as far as possible, by the organisation.

Why should my organisation undertake the Accès programme?

It is essential that your organisation thinks about this now. All Jersey workplaces have until 1 September 2020 to ensure that reasonable adjustments to their physical facilities that include people with disabilities are in place.

Secondly, it is good for business. The “Purple Pound” equates to £249 billion a year to the UK economy, but yet very few businesses are reaching this consumer market in any meaningful way.

Finally, making Jersey’s workspaces accessible for people with disabilities is the right thing to do.

Many businesses fear that reasonable adjustments to their physical premises are going to be difficult and costly. Reasonable adjustments are often straightforward, common sense solutions and estimates of the average cost of reasonable adjustments range from just £30-£180 per person.

The key word is ‘reasonable’ – an adjustment has to be ‘reasonable’ for your organisation to make. But, how do you know what is ‘reasonable? That’s how Accès can help.

What is involved?

To gain the Accès badge, organisations will:

• Have their premises audited by Liberate’s trained accessibility auditors and Accessibility Ambassadors, who are members of the disabled community;
• Undertake a training course aimed at customer-facing staff on behavioural adjustments when interacting with people with disabilities; and,
• Be prepared for a visit by one of our RAMS – ‘reasonable adjustment mystery shoppers’.

At the end of the process, you will have: the Accès badge that demonstrates your credentials as an accessible workplace; trained employees ready to welcome disabled employees or customers; and, a report with recommendations for reasonable adjustments to make your premises more accessible.

What does it cost?

The scheme cost has been kept to a minimum in order that all sizes of business can afford to make their premises accessible from 1 September 2020.  Fees are based on site size and complexity, and start from £500 for the premises audit, training course and mystery shopper visit. (Organisations with multiple sites may need more than one audit incurring an additional cost.)

For more information and to arrange a meeting to discuss the Accès scheme, please email paddy@liberate.je