Accessibility and Inclusion Toolkit
Diverse Voices for a Greener Tomorrow
Access Our Toolkit with Support from EnviroCentre and CAWI. Champion climate inclusivity and make your organization a welcoming space for all abilities.
This page includes resources to support climate organizations looking to be more accessible and welcoming to people with accessibility needs or disabilities.
It was created by EnviroCentre and the City for All Women Initiative (CAWI) in 2022 and made possible through the Ottawa Climate Equity initiative, a program led by the Ottawa Climate Action Fund jointly managed with Ecology Ottawa and funded in part by the Government of Canada.
Accessibility and the Climate Movement
In Canada, 22% of the population self-identify as having a disability. That means that 6 million people in our country have different experiences of the world due to disability and differences. We believe that their voices and perspectives are essential to an inclusive and equitable climate agenda.
Disability is often linked to discrimination: differing abilities are often excluded in big or small ways, are tokenized, or often lead to different forms of inclusion and exclusion. This is true of the climate movement too.
From the debate over single-use plastics to discussions of vehicle-free zones, the climate movement has been accused of ableism and of not being accessible for everyone. As a result, some people do not feel that the climate movement is a welcoming, safe place for them. You can help to solve this problem by encouraging accessible climate advocacy.
These resources are a starting point; organizations can work on accessibility in ways that are most relevant to the way they operate. Some climate organizations are staffed by volunteers working on shoestring budgets (or nonexistent ones), while others have physical office space and employ many staff. However, all organizations can be mindful of accessibility and work to create more open and inclusive environments for staff, volunteers and participants.
The Toolkit
Spread the Word!
Help us spread the word! These social media posts and graphics can be used by anyone to help raise awareness within the climate movement of the need for a welcoming and accessible movement.
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