The Human Rights Commission will partner St Albans residents to ensure that the needs of the disabled are included when projects outlined in the St Albans Community Strategy are implemented.
An initial proposal to create separate goals was gently rejected in favour of a wider contribution from representatives of the disability sector during a discussion amongst St Albans residents and interested parties during a discussion at the Mairehau Library in Kensington Street.
The meeting expressed disappointment in rebuilding projects which simply repeat the same footprint and put ramps around the back of the building and in footpaths near new developments that slope and fail to use contrasting materials to indicate change between path and roadway.
The strategy is sometimes referred to as 20 projects. Planning is still in the early stages for the implementation, which will require an unpaid mentor (possibly with business and network creation experience) to set the system up and find champions to drive the project forward.
“This is very exciting and as the project scopes are fairly brief at present, the people involving themselves will lead the direction of each project,” SARA chair Emma Twaddell explains. “So if you have been sitting around for a while saying I must get involved in something, now is a good chance.”
Interested volunteers can get involved in the projects and won’t be involved in SARA administration. “It means you can work on a project with a focus and a desired outcome for our whole community. These projects will be backed by the many wonderful community resources St Albans already has.”
