Access at Cloyne

Take a look at this Cloyne.org page on Accessibility, drafted by Sydney Wyma! It is a nuanced and experience-based perspective on mobility-based access, a disability support circle/tea party (DisabiliTEA!), workshift accommodations, and a vision for advocacy around disability and cooperativity. Also check out a poster Sydney made on cognitive disability etiquette.

Access Needs survey and Community Agreements

There are some things that the house needs to know in order to respect your needs. Some of these you might not personally be comfortable sharing. Cloyne Access Needs survey allows you to communicate those needs to people who will share them anonymously on your behalf at Community Agreements. Community Agreements is a space where we can have informed discussions about how to best accommodate everyone’s needs. You are also always welcome to share them yourself or ask another coordinator or friend to share them on your behalf. 

Curb cut effect

Note the “curb cut effect”: When things are made more accessible for certain people with certain disabilities, many other people often benefit. It’s called the curb cut effect because curb cuts were created (via direct action in Berkeley!) in order to make crosswalks accessible for people who use wheelchairs. But many other people have also benefited: skateboarders, people with rolling luggage, parents with strollers, etc. All this is to say: don’t be concerned that you’re just one person asking for something, because you’re probably helping other people!

Types of access needs

Note, this section is meant to be helpful for folks who may not know their exact access needs, but who can think through them better by looking at broader categories and/or specific examples of disabilities or situations. In other words, this is not prescriptive — you do not need to fit your (understanding of your) body-mind into this framework!

Communication: group settings

Some needs may differ based on group settings (like Council) vs. interpersonal interactions (like talking with a friend), though some may be the same. Please share any needs based on the context.

Some relevant situations of communication in groups settings include but are not limited to: Council, Community Agreements, or other events that rely heavily on communication. Some relevant needs include but are not limited to those that arise from:

• Sensory disabilities: e.g., subtitles, audio description, translator, interpreters, accessible seating arrangement
• Psych or intellectual disabilities: e.g., more time left in between end of discussion and voting
• Different styles of learning/engaging
• Different levels of proficiency with English: e.g., translating important events to your preferred language

Communication: digital

Some relevant platforms include but are not limited to: email, Rocket.Chat, PeerMind, Cloyne.org, and Facebook. Some relevant needs include but are not limited to those that arise from:

• Sensory disabilities: e.g., subtitles, audio description
• Different levels of proficiency with English: e.g., translating important emails/events to your preferred language

Communication: interpersonal situations

Some examples might include if you’re hard-of-hearing, have social anxiety, etc. While it might be more effective for members to share these personally, we can also raise awareness in general by sharing these anonymously.

Physical movement and interaction

Some relevant situations include but are not limited to: social events, Makerspace workshops, or other events that involve interaction and movement

Some relevant needs include but are not limited to those that arise from:

• Mobility disabilities: e.g., such as chairs for events that involve standing
• Psych or developmental disabilities: e.g., low-stimulation alternative spaces)
• Sensory disabilities

Allergies

During the fall and spring, be sure to fill out the Food Preferences survey to make sure that allergies get shared with the cooks (email clokm2@bsc.coop if you don’t know where to find this form). But this is what we’ll use over the summer! It can also ensure that all members are aware about cross-contamination while cooking, and about things like perfumes or colognes.

Emergencies

This may mean access to medical equipment or medication, physical support in the event of evacuations, or physical alterations to your room (e.g., visual smoke alarms).

Nudity

House Policy already stipulates that bottomlessness is not allowed, except in certain spaces (like the sauna) or with advance notice to the house (e.g., for a specific event). Members can always vote to change House Policy, but the house voted one semester to make these changes in order to provide a safe environment for a survivor of sexual assault. The membership changes every semester, and with it, our needs. So please let us know if you have any needs that are important to know when we decide Community Agreements around toplessness. 

Substances

Although Cloyne has a strict substance-free policy, it doesn’t limit communication about substance use. Some needs might include members writing #NSF (not substance-free) when sending out invitations to a party, or not bragging in common space about a kegstand someone did last night. 

Created by Josh Lavine, summer 2019, as co-Community Coord with Cherod Johnson
Please make comments/suggestions if you find anything to be missing, inaccurate, etc.