Publisher: Government of Canada > Employment and Social Development Canada
Topics: Workplace Solutions – Accessibility & Universal Design, Workplace Solutions – Accommodations, Workplace Solutions – Jobseeker and Employee Engagement, Workplace Solutions – Disability Specific Workplace Inclusion
Year published: 2015
Type of resource: Website

The Guide to Planning Inclusive Meetings is based on a valued, inclusive approach to every individual. When creating it, the Government of Canada has chosen to highlight points of importance for people with disabilities to address specific planning considerations, but these principles of inclusion can apply to a broader range of the population.

Well-planned meetings are an essential communication tool for any organization. Meetings in the workplace and in volunteer and community groups regularly bring people together to share information, develop strategies, work toward common goals and celebrate successes.

The success of any meeting depends on the active participation of all invited participants. Given the amount of time, effort and resources spent on planning meetings, it makes good business sense to think of and organize meetings in a way that supports full participation.

An area often overlooked by meeting planners, or dismissed as too difficult, is how to make the meeting accessible for people with disabilities. By considering accessibility as part of the planning process, you ensure that everyone can participate and be involved, which means a successful meeting.

The goal of this guide is to help planners learn to organize meetings that are inclusive and for this to become a permanent part of all meetings, no matter who attends.

The resource is available here in HTML and .pdf formats: Guide to Planning Inclusive Meetings.