Table at the Opening: Inclusiveness

[Maureen Pomroy]

Form: Reply
Text: (41 lines follow)
Maureen will be out of the office from Tuesday, May 9th, 11:00 a.m. to
Tuesday, May 16th, 8:45 a.m.



Maureen Pomroy
Business Lines Consultant
Tel:  (709) 772-2735
Fax:  (709) 772-2104

"When a group does the impossible in the first hour of its meeting, it is
very hard to stop them after that.  This is called empowerment."
        - H. Owen, on Open Space
---------- Original Text ----------

From: "Diane Gibeault" <dgp at CYBERUS.CA>, on 5/10/00 6:39 PM:

I facilitated an OS last week and a disabled person who's disability was
not evident came to me after feeling quite upset that a small table had
not been in the centre for people like her who cannot bend even to pick
up a sheet a paper and who does not want to ask others to bring her a
sheet, not wanting her disability to be known. She felt deprived having
not been able to participate and indicated that others with similar
problems had made the same comment.  A young person with the same
complaint having a physical problem that limits  kneeling or bending
movements to the floor.

It has happened at the request of a client, especially when dealing with
more aged people that I used a table in the centre during the opening
only. This episode has led me to rethink the way I am generally doing
this: no tables in the centre in the name of the "no barrier"
principle. We cannot presume that a group of young people or whatever
group does not have a person with disabilities, apparent or not.

The suggestion was made by the participant to have in the centre a small
table with paper and markers AS WELL AS  having paper and marker on the
ground for the more "playful, barrier free" environment it creates. They
have convinced me. Thought I'd pass it on.

Diane Gibeault