Rolling Rains Report

Launch of the Access●City Award 2014

2013-05-21T19:52:26Z

European Commission calls for entries from across the EU

Brussels, 21/05/2013 - The European Commission has opened today the competition for the fourth "Access City Award", the European Award for Accessible Cities. The annual prize recognises and celebrates cities that are dedicated to providing an accessible environment for all, and for disabled and older people in particular. The Award is part of the EU's wider efforts to create a barrier-free Europe: improved accessibility brings lasting economic and social benefits to cities, especially in the context of demographic ageing. Cities with at least 50,000 inhabitants have until 10 September (midnight Brussels time) to submit their candidacy for the award.

"Let's keep working together to facilitate lives of EU citizens", said Vice-President of the European Commission Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. "I encourage cities all over Europet o participate and share their ideas on how to make life more accessible for all. If you have made special efforts to improve accessibility, your city can be a good example and inspiration for others".

Approximately 80 million Europeans have a disability. With the ageing of our society, the number of people with a disability or those with reduced mobility is growing. Giving everyone access to city transport, public spaces and services, and technology has become a real challenge. However, providing accessibility also gives economic and social benefits and contributes to the sustainability and inclusiveness of the urban environment.

In line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, accessibility is one of the pillars of the European Union's Disability Strategy 2010-2020 which aims at creating a barrier-freeEuropefor all.

The selection process

The selection will take place in two phases, with a pre-selection at the national level followed by a final selection at the European level. In the European competition phase, a jury composed of accessibility experts including representatives of the European Disability Forum will select out of the national nominees maximum four finalists to attend the award ceremony in Brussels. The ceremony will coincide with the European Day of People with Disabilities Conference on 3-4 December 2013. The winner of the competition will be recognised as the "Winner of the Access City Award2014". Another two cities will be awarded as ''finalists'' for their innovative measures on accessibility.

The European Jury will also give special "mentions" to cities that have achieved notable successes and results in specific areas or aspects of accessibility.

Award criteria

Accessibility needs to be implemented in a coherent and systematic manner in goods, services and infrastructure. Initiatives will be assessed for their integrated approach across four key areas: the built environment and public spaces; transportation and related infrastructure; information and communication, including new technologies (ICT); public facilities and services.

The jury will particularly look at the impact of accessibility measures on the everyday life of people with disabilities and the city as a whole, and it will consider the quality and sustainability of the results achieved. Cities will also have to demonstrate active involvement of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations in the planning and implementation of the city's accessibility policies.

How to apply

Applications can be submitted on-line until 10 September 2013 (midnight Brussels time) in English, French or German viahttp://ec.europa.eu/justice/access-city.

Background

The Access-City Award's first, second and third editions

After a first successful inaugural year2010 inwhich the Spanish city of Avila received the Access City Award 2011, the campaign in 2011 saw 114 cities from 23 EU member states joining the competition. On 1 December 2011 the Austrian citySalzburgwas proclaimed as the winner of the Access City Award 2012.

The application phase for the Access City Award 2013 closed on 5 September 2012 with 99 cities from 20 EU member states in the competition. The Award was given to theGermanCityofBerlinat a ceremony organised inBrusselson 3 December 2012, on the occasion of the European Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The two other finalists were:Nantes(France) andStockholm(Sweden). . In 2012 the jury also assigned special mentions to:Pamplona(Spain) for the built environment and public spaces,Gdynia(Poland) for transport and related infrastructures,Bilbao(Spain) for information and communication, including new technologies and Tallaght (Ireland) for public facilities and services.

TodayGdyniahosts a conference called ''accessible cities - best practices'' where the winner, the finalists and other EU cities will share their practices and discuss their projects and future plans on accessibility.Gdynia, awarded with the special mention for transport and related infrastructure, is well known for promoting awareness and understanding of disability.

EU policy on accessibility

The EU Disability Strategy 2010-2020 provides the general framework for action in the area of disability and accessibility at EU level to complement and support Member States' action. In this context, the European Commission is preparing a proposal for a European Accessibility Act, to be presented in the second half of 2013.

Specific provisions on accessibility are contained in EU legislation in areas such as transport and electronic communication services. The EU makes use of a variety of instruments beyond legislation and policy, such as research and standardisation, to optimise the accessibility of the built environment, ICT, transport, and other areas, and to foster an EU-wide market for accessible products and services.

The EU also aims to improve the functioning of the assistive technology market for the benefit of people with disabilities and supports a "Design for all" approach that benefits a wider part of the population, such as elderly people and those with reduced mobility.

For more information

Would you like to have your city projects featured in the next booklet of the Access City Award? If you want to share your experiences and actions with other cities, read more about the Access City Award on:http://ec.europa.eu/justice/access-city

European Disability Strategy 2010-2020

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/disabilities/disability-strategy/index_en.htm

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/disabilities/convention/index_en.htm

City of Helsinki Accesibility: SuRaKu - planning, constructing and maintaining

2013-05-15T14:40:27Z

How can we plan, construct and maintain our streets, green areas and yards for accessibility? Practical guidelines were established in 2004 through cooperation involving the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Joensuu, Tampere, Turku and Vantaa. Working instructions were completed under the leadership of the Helsinki for All Project with the support of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

The guidelines form the basis for the City of Helsinki Accessibility Plan. They are also freely available for use by other municipalities, corporations and planners. The guidelines contain criteria for evaluating the accessibility of outdoor locations and instruction cards for applying them.

Criteria for accessibility and the instruction cards (SuRaKu)

SuRaKu Instruction Cards:

1 Pedestrian crossings and pavements (pdf) (doc)
2 Pedestrian streets and squares (pdf) (doc)
3 Differences in elevation (pdf) (doc)
4 Public courtyards (pdf) (doc)
5 Park paths and resting places (pdf) (doc)
6 Public playgrounds (pdf) (doc)
7 Public bus stop areas (pdf) (doc)
8 Temporary traffic arrangements (pdf) (doc)

SuRaKu Accessibility Criteria:

1 Kerbstones at pedestrian crossings (pdf)
2 Outdoor staircases (pdf)
3 Ramps (pdf)
4 Guidance paving flags (pdf)
5 Demarcation strips (pdf)
6 Loading islands (pdf)
7 Gutters and gullies (pdf)
8 Walking surfaces (pdf)
9 Pedestrian crossing markings (pdf)
10 Handrails (pdf)
11 Railings (pdf)
12 Pedestrian push-buttons posts (pdf)
13 Pedestrian crossing signs (pdf)
14 Seating (pdf)
15 Bollards in pedestrian zones (pdf)
16 Pedestrian refuge islands (pdf)
17 Tactile maps and information signboards (pdf)
18 Warning areas (pdf)
Criteriatabels 1-18 (doc)

Mapping and evaluation guide for accessibility of outdoor locations (pdf, 8.7 Mb), guide cover (pdf, 547 Kb). The illustrated guide explains about pedestrian accessibility. It is suitable both as a check list and as study material (in Finnish).

SuRaKu stands for planning, constructing and maintaining. In Finnish that is suunnitella, rakentaa and kunnostaa.

City of Helsinki Accesibility: SuRaKu - planning, constructing and maintaining

2013-05-15T14:40:27Z

1 Pedestrian crossings and pavements (pdf) (doc)
2 Pedestrian streets and squares (pdf) (doc)
3 Differences in elevation (pdf) (doc)
4 Public courtyards (pdf) (doc)
5 Park paths and resting places (pdf) (doc)
6 Public playgrounds (pdf) (doc)
7 Public bus stop areas (pdf) (doc)
8 Temporary traffic arrangements (pdf) (doc)

SuRaKu Accessibility Criteria:

1 Kerbstones at pedestrian crossings (pdf)
2 Outdoor staircases (pdf)
3 Ramps (pdf)
4 Guidance paving flags (pdf)
5 Demarcation strips (pdf)
6 Loading islands (pdf)
7 Gutters and gullies (pdf)
8 Walking surfaces (pdf)
9 Pedestrian crossing markings (pdf)
10 Handrails (pdf)
11 Railings (pdf)
12 Pedestrian push-buttons posts (pdf)
13 Pedestrian crossing signs (pdf)
14 Seating (pdf)
15 Bollards in pedestrian zones (pdf)
16 Pedestrian refuge islands (pdf)
17 Tactile maps and information signboards (pdf)
18 Warning areas (pdf)
Criteriatabels 1-18 (doc)

SuRaKu stands for planning, constructing and maintaining. In Finnish that is suunnitella, rakentaa and kunnostaa.

Design experts to share knowledge in Auckland

2013-05-14T17:39:24Z

Experts from New Zealand, Australia and the United States will share their knowledge about creating more inclusive places to live, work and play during New Zealand's first-ever Universal Design Conference.

The one-day conference will take place at the Aotea Centre on 24 May.

Universal design creates environments, products, learning programmes and systems to be used by as many people as possible. This year's conference will focus on the built environment.

It is co-hosted by Auckland Council, through its Community Development, Arts and Culture department, and Lifemark, a not-for-profit organisation which advocates adaptable and accessible housing design standards. The Ministry of Social Development is also supporting the conference from its Making a Difference fund.

"This really is the start of a new movement across New Zealand and it comes at a significant time," says Dr Roger Blakeley, Auckland Council's Chief Planning Officer.

"With the rebuilding of Christchurch underway, and as we work towards achieving Mayor Len Brown's vision of making Auckland the world's most liveable city, this is an opportunity to get things right from the start.

"By sharing expertise from around the world, we can work together to create places that are enjoyable, safe and accessible."

Lifemark general manager Andrew Olsen says: "It's a great opportunity for delegates to hear how those practising universal design are approaching the design and build of adaptable and accessible environments.

"This is particularly important for future housing development, which not only needs to be affordable, but accessible for all people, creating truly liveable cities."

Keynote speakers include Richard Duncan, the executive director of the RL Mace Universal Design Institute in the United States, and Dr Jane Bringolf, Project Manager, Liveable Communities with Council on the Ageing New South Wales (COTA NSW), Australia, both leaders in the field of universal design.

Two New Zealand experts in this area will also speak at the conference. Kay Saville Smith is the director of the Centre for Research, Evaluation and Social Assessment (CRESA) while Pete Bossley is an award-winning architect.

To find out more or register to attend, visit www.udconference.co.nz.

Source:

http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/design-experts-share-knowledge-auckland/5/155639

ReaTech 2013

2013-04-28T20:24:50Z

At REATECH 2013.

IBM and Carnegie Mellon University To Create Smarter Infrastructure Lab

2013-04-18T00:51:11Z

IBM and Carnegie Mellon University To Create Smarter Infrastructure Lab

Collaborative Research Will Aim To Make Cities and Businesses More Intelligent

PITTSBURGH--IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) announced today that they will create a collaborative research lab at the university to undertake research and create technologies to help cities, governments and industries worldwide develop smarter infrastructures.

The new lab is part of the Pennsylvania Smart Infrastructure Incubator (PSII) and will be located within theDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering on the CMU campus in Pittsburgh, PA. The (PSII) is a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania economic development initiative to create an incubator for advanced infrastructure technology in partnership with industry and the state. The lab is planned to be operational in the fall of 2010.

The IBM Smarter Infrastructure Lab at Carnegie Mellon University will develop technologies that are consistent with IBM's Smarter Planet initiative, IBM's offerings in Business Analytics and Optimization, and CMU's work within itsCenter for Sensed Critical Infrastructure Research. The new lab will be a focal point and catalyst for collaboration with like-minded research colleagues from IBM Research and across CMU including their engineering, architecture, public policy and business schools. It will also be an important resource at Carnegie Mellon University to educate and train future scientists and engineers to build smarter cities.

At the lab, researchers will collect and analyze massive amounts of data about the physical condition and energy efficiency of buildings, water pipelines and other infrastructure on which governments, businesses and societies depend. One of the research initiatives the lab will undertake is to explore physical infrastructures with innovative digital sensor networks that will produce large amounts of new data that will be acquired in real-time and integrated with advanced analytical tools. Such analysis will be directed to detect patterns, understand exposure to risks, and help predict outcomes of management and operational decisions with greater certainty.

"At Carnegie Mellon, we've been working for a number of years on interdisciplinary research to help better manage critical infrastructure using advanced technologies. Our goal has been to deploy a variety of sensors to collect significant amounts of new data that can be analyzed and turned into actionable information so that people who build, maintain or manage infrastructure can do so in a more efficient and cost effective manner," said James H. Garrett, Jr., the Thomas Lord professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "IBM's much appreciated support will help establish a new, state-of-the-art lab where we will be able to showcase research and technology development on our Pittsburgh campus. In addition to supporting us with technology and analytical tools, our collaboration with IBM will also enable highly valuable interactions with IBM researchers worldwide in this domain."

Government agencies at the municipal, city, state and federal level along with businesses from diverse industry sectors will be invited to partner with the lab. Some of these partners will make data from their diverse infrastructures available to the lab while others may provide complementary technologies or support additional research activity. The lab will also be integrated with a new Collaboration and Distance Learning Center to be located in CMU's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where leaders can meet -- either physically or virtually -- to learn how smarter infrastructures can make them more competitive.

"Making the infrastructure of our cities, communities, and industries more instrumented, interconnected and intelligent can make it more sustainable from both an economic and an environmental perspective," said Wayne Balta, vice president, corporate environmental affairs and product safety, IBM. "With Carnegie Mellon University's renowned reputation in engineering and IBM's leadership regarding a Smarter Planet and business analytics, this new lab can drive innovation and develop new technologies to help leaders worldwide optimize their use of finite resources."

Contacts: Randy Zane / IBM Media Relations / 914-945-1655 / rzane@us.ibm.com
Chriss Swaney / Carnegie Mellon / 412-268-5776 / swaney@andrew.cmu.edu

Telecommuting as a Workplace Benefit Scores High among Workers with Disabilities in New National Survey

2013-04-17T00:25:36Z

Eight out of 10 workers with disabilities prefer the option to telecommute to other sought-after perks; paid time off tops list

(CHICAGO) May 7, 2013 -- Workers with disabilities say telecommuting is a key workplace benefit, with eight out of 10 (81.1%) saying they would like the option to telecommute at least part time, according to a national survey released by Think Beyond the Label, a private-public collaborative that helps businesses and the public workforce system connect to job seekers with disabilities.

Telecommuting was the second-ranked workplace benefit (39.3%) in the national survey released today, surpassing flexible spending programs, which help pay for costs such as healthcare and commuting (14.2%), onsite fitness centers and services (2.0%) and free or subsidized meals (0.8%) as the most wanted employee perk, just behind paid time off (42.5%), such as for maternity leave.

More than a perk

Less than one-third (28.7%) of respondents say their employer currently offers telecommuting, though more than half (67.1%) say they would work for a company even if it did not offer telecommuting at least part time. Still, telecommuting can be more than a perk for some people with disabilities. Of respondents who say they telecommute:

-More than one-third (37.1%) telecommute because their employer lets them

-One in five (20%) telecommute because their office is located far away from where they live

-17.1% telecommute to accommodate a disability

-4.3% telecommute because of inadequate public or private transportation options

"People with disabilities, like anyone else, look for jobs that offer strong workplace benefits such as telecommuting," says Barbara Otto, CEO of Health & Disability Advocates, the Chicago-based policy and advocacy organization that operates Think Beyond the Label. "This survey underscores the need for moreemployers to offer telecommuting as a way to cast a wider net for talent and open up more full-time employment opportunities to all workers, regardless of a disability."

Otto cites Fortune's100 Best Companies to Work For in 2013, where eight of the top 10 companies offer telecommuting options, and DiversityInc's Top 10 Companies for People with Disabilities, where flexible work options are a criterion for the award.

Productivity enhancement

Most workers with disabilities (73.5%) say they believe telecommuting makes them more efficient in their jobs, and the majority (70.6%) says they do not require accessible or assistive technologies to perform their jobs remotely. For those who do require technologies (29.4%), the majority of the solutions cost less than $500:

·Nearly half (48.6%) use a keyboard or mouse solution

·Four out of 10 (40%) use accessible tablets and smart phones

·About one-third (34.3%) use communications tools such as dictation software or speech-to-text programs

·Nearly one in four (24.3%) use adjustable-height desks

·About one in five (21.4%) use a screen reader

Think Beyond the Label 2013 Online Career Fair Series

To help employers recruit more qualified workers with disabilities, Think Beyond the Label is partnering with Brazen Careerist on a series of online career fairs. Past and upcoming participating employers include AT&T, Boeing, NextEra Energy, Pearson, The Hartford, Union Pacific, United Health Group, University of North Carolina, the University of Southern California and more.

DATES: May 21, July 30 and Oct. 22

TIMES: 1.00 pm - 4.00 pm Eastern Time

SIGN UP: Online registration is available now

About the Survey

This survey was commissioned by Think Beyond the Label and conducted April 15 to April 26, 2013. This online survey reflects a sampling of more than 200 respondents who are employed or seeking work; the majority (93.2%) self-identified as a person with a disability. Approximately two-thirds of survey participants (65.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, and the majority (85.8%) hold six or more years of job experience.

Why French Kids Don't Have ADHD

2013-04-16T00:22:56Z

French children don't need medications to control their behavior.

Published on March 8, 2012 by Marilyn Wedge, Ph.D.in Suffer the Children

In the United States, at least 9% of school-aged children have been diagnosed with ADHD, and are taking pharmaceutical medications. In France, the percentage of kids diagnosed and medicated for ADHD is less than .5%. How come the epidemic of ADHD--which has become firmly established in the United States--has almost completely passed over children in France?

Is ADHD a biological-neurological disorder? Surprisingly, the answer to this question depends on whether you live in France or in the United States. In the United States, child psychiatrists consider ADHD to be a biological disorder with biological causes. The preferred treatment is also biological--psycho stimulant medications such as Ritalin and Adderall.

French child psychiatrists, on the other hand, view ADHD as a medical condition that has psycho-social and situational causes. Instead of treating children's focusing and behavioral problems with drugs, French doctors prefer to look for the underlying issue that is causing the child distress--not in the child's brain but in the child's social context. They then choose to treat the underlying social context problem with psychotherapy or family counseling.

This is a very different way of seeing things from the American tendency to attribute all symptoms to a biological dysfunction such as a chemical imbalance in the child's brain.

On the Road Again?: Yes, with a little help from my friends!

2013-04-15T03:01:17Z

Send this man out of the country where he can do some real good for people.

A key funder just pulled out of a project and another wants to talk sponsorship but on her turf -- in São Paulo, Brazil at the ReaTech disability expo. I'm in an odd dilemma.

The project will create a network of alliances and a series of resources allowing travelers with disabilities to travel throughout Brazil once they are there for the 2016 Paralympics and Olympics and for the FIFA Soccer World Cup next year. The expo on April 18 will bring key stakeholders together. I need to I need to get down there to bring them to agreement on the project and secure their funding.

In other words, I need a few people to chip in on the cost of airfare and a hotel. Will you contribute?

I can't give complete details on the major project until after the Brazilian government signs on but I can promise that I won't just be spending time on the beach after the negotiations this trip.

Pro bono I'll be:

Helping Whirlwind Wheelchairs find a partner to open a ruggedized wheelchair assembly plant in Brazil,
Talking with potential publishers to release a Portuguese version of the autobiography of Kenya-born UK citizen and Parathlete Anne Olympia Wafula Strike. (It is titled, "In My Dreams, I Dance" and is published by Harpers. It will be a great text for the sort of Paralymppic outreach to schoolchildren that was so successful in Sydney and London.)
Searching out training opportunities for the founder of the Kosta Z Foundation,
Strengthening the South American presence of Disabled Peoples' International, and
Giving a presentation at the Federal University of Rio's first University Forum on Accessibility de ReAbilitArte.

(OK, only after all that will I go to the beach and spend a day learning from Brazil's flagship beach accessibility program AdaptSurf.)

So if you click right here, you can say, "I helped!"

Singapore: 2007 Code on Accessibility in Built Environments

2013-04-07T18:42:52Z

The Singapore Accessible Building Code.

European Beach Access Best Practices - Elsa Integracio

2013-04-06T00:50:16Z

European Beach Access Best Practices from Elsa Integracio.

Singapore Moves Ahead on Universal Design: The Universal Design Mark Awards

2013-04-03T14:39:47Z

The Universal Design Mark Awards are voluntary standards for inclusion set forward by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore. They were established in 2012.

City of Helsinki: Accessibility Symbol Project

2013-04-01T14:14:57Z

The Accessibility symbol website is an accessibility databank, featuring a collection of relevant pictograms and general information on accessibility signeage.

The databank is based on the 'Accessibility symbol project' conducted by the 'Helsinki for All' project and interest groups in 2010-2011. The purpose of this project was to compile and design pictograms indicating accessible functions and general public services that need to be accessible and clearly signposted.

The databank includes symbols designed and drawn in the course of the project as well as existing accessibility symbols already in use. In many cases, the new symbols are based on existing ones. The symbols designed in the course of the project form a coherent series that can be deployed on service maps, indoor signs, outdoor signs and online publicity. The symbols were designed by Kokoro & Moi Oy.

In addition to accessibility symbols, there are many general service symbols in the databank. There are also pointers to standards and design directives featuring pictograms.

The pictograms in the databank are divided into the following categories:

Accessibility
Public transport
Leisure time (including sports and culture)
Premises and services (symbols indicating services available at a facility, functional symbols and symbols for various types of facilities)
Standardised symbols (standard and official symbols whose use is subject to a permit)

The databank now has its first collection of pictograms, and it will be added to from time to time.

Note that not all of the symbols in the databank are free for use; there are standard and official symbols for whose use a separate permit must be obtained. Information on whom to contact regarding the use and availability of these symbols is included in the databank. All of the symbols developed in the 'Accessibility symbol project' may be used freely for non-commercial purposes. You can find all those symbols here.

The symbols developed in the project may be downloaded in JPEG format and AI (vector graphics) format. Some of the symbols compiled from other databanks are available in EPS format in addition to JPEG.

Source: http://www.hel.fi/hki/HKR/en/Helsinki+for+All/Accessibility+symbols

Rolling Around Anchorage

2013-03-29T20:53:49Z

From the Anchorage Press:

Bonnie McGrew is a retired sales clerk. Jesse Owens is a professor. Nathan Carey is an athlete. They all have something in common: at some point in their lives, each has lost the ability to walk, and had to adjust to life in a wheelchair.
"Emotionally, it does a lot to a person," said McGrew. When she first started using a wheelchair in 2009, it was a manual chair that she wasn't strong enough to push.
"Not having my freedom, of being able to go places, it was hard on me," she said. "I had to be dependent on people to get around. It was really hard to deal with."
It was the farther reaches of Alaska's outdoors that Owens missed the most.
"In my opinion, the ability to get into wilderness and nature is one of the greatest losses of all, when you become wheelchair-bound," he said.
Carey was a running back on a football scholarship in 2008 and was working a summer job when a crate carried on a forklift fell on him, fracturing one of the lower vertebrae of his spine. He finished his degree in sports management and marketing, but life in a wheelchair has entailed a radical exploration of the 24-year-old's vocation.

Full story;

http://www.anchoragepress.com/news/rolling-in-a-town/article_16060c86-97fd-11e2-99fa-0019bb2963f4.html

onference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

2013-03-28T23:56:28Z

The 6th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will take place from 17-19 July 2013. A day prior to the Conference a Civil Society Forum will be held on 16 July.

The following deadlines apply:

NGO application for accreditation: 31 May 2013
NGO registration: 8 July 2013
Side-event application: 31 May 2013

More information is posted at:http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1606

Sincerely,

Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Division for Social Policy and Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations
Mailing address: United Nations, S-2914, New York, NY 10017
Email: enable@un.org
Web: http://www.un.org/disabilities