Creating Access and Inclusion in Worship
Organizing An Inclusion Committee
For any faith community to make long-lasting changes, a planning structure is needed. Enlist a group of committed people, including those with disabilities, and create an on-going committee focused on access and inclusion and connected to the governing council of the faith community.
You can invite the following people to serve on the inclusion committee:
- a parishioner with a disability
- a family member of a person with a disability
- a decision maker in your faith community
- a parishioner with skills in contracting or architecture
- a parishioner with experience in grant writing/fundraising.
The inclusion committee could coordinate:
- a walk-through of buildings with decision makers to identify areas for access improvement (see the Facilities Survey at www.InclusionInWorship.org)
- a survey of the congregation's needs
- an audit of organizations and ministries within the faith community to see if they address the needs of parishioners of all abilities
- development and implementation of short and long-range plans to increase access and inclusion
- celebrating successes.
Remember that making change at one point in time does not necessarily answer the need forever. Devices may break, new ideas and requests may come up and new members may join your faith community.
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