We want all residents to be able to access our services and are working towards removing any barriers they may face. One of the ways we are doing this is by requiring all of our employees to take Accessible Customer Service training as soon as is practical after being hired or assigned duties.
The online training looks at how employees should interact and communicate with people who may face barriers, how to use any equipment or assistive devices that may be available, and what to do if a person disabled by a particular barrier is having difficultly accessing a good or service.
“We want to make sure everyone has the same opportunity to access goods or services, and this also means treating people with respect, being patient, and not making assumptions about someone’s ability,” said Susanne Dewey Povoledo, the City’s Universal Design Coordinator.
In addition to this training, we have also put together several resources for our employees to help them create more accessible documents which incorporate elements such as meaningful hyperlinks, alternate text to images, and using colour and contrast effectively. Guidance on using respectful terminology, welcoming service animals, and how to meet communications needs is also available to our employees to regularly review.
We continue working towards making Winnipeg accessible to all residents. Recently, we launched Winnipeg WAV. It is a centralized dispatch system and call centre that can be used to secure a wheelchair accessible vehicle in Winnipeg. It can be reached through a mobile app or by calling 204-986-4928.
We can all do our part to make Winnipeg more accessible and if you encounter any accessibility barriers, please let us know by reporting them to 311 so we can investigate and make any necessary changes.