The #IamChurch campaign for persons with disabilities begins from 6 December with a series of video testimonies of Christians living with disabilities. In his message to persons with disabilities on the occasion of the International Day dedicated to them, Pope Francis noted that Baptism gives each one of us, “without exclusion or discrimination, the possibility of exclaiming, ‘I am Church!”.
The SVP conference in Sidmouth recently reviewed how the parish welcomes persons with disabilities and we have produced a short case study with their reflections and ideas. The top tips from their review are:
- The role of welcomers is crucial in ensuring people’s needs are met.
- Make sure people with disabilities have a voice.
- Changing printing font sizes on parish documentation can make a big difference.
- If you are installing screens, ensure that people with disabilities are not disadvantaged.
- Make sure the parish office can respond to requests for mailing out notices, etc., so that people can make use of their adaptive technology.
There is also a guide for parishes produced by the Catholic Disability Fellowship which includes a checklist for parish provision www.csan.org.uk/guidance/parish-guide-to-disability/
If you would like more information please contact caritas@prcdtr.org.uk.