EqUUal Access: Accessibility guidelines

EqUUal Access has prepared Accessibility Guidelines for Unitarian Universalist Congregations, which were approved Sept. 7 by the EqUUal Access Board. EqUUal Access promotes equality and access for Unitarian Universalists with disabilities.

I served on the policy committee that generated this document. Full inclusion and participation is of personal significance to me and the EqUUal Access policy committee offered a chance to act on this conviction.

From Rev. Barbara F. Meyers, writing at the EqUUal Access blog: “Policy Committee member Cynthia Parkhill wrote the section on Advocacy, and also pointed out that the needs of people using a printed copy of the document were different from those using an on-line copy. This resulted in having two different versions, one for print and one for online use.”

The purpose of the guidelines, according to EqUUal Access, is to address the “inclusion of all people (whatever their ability may be) in activities and physical accessibility to facilities of the Unitarian Universalist Association and its member congregations.

“It is the goal of this document that our religious institutions, the UUA and every Unitarian Universalist congregation become not only fully accessible under the law, but take the next step to truly welcome people with disabilities, and integrate people with disabilities into every facet of UU religious life.”