Author: Tomasz Maurek
Translator: Urszula Lis
Every year in May, numerous cultural events are held for students as part of their biggest celebration, Juvenalia. Student unions organise these events as a moment of relaxation before exams. However, it’s crucial to remember that people with disabilities also participate in such events.
The crowd pushing towards the stage, including individuals with visual or mobility impairments, poses one of the biggest challenges for organisers in ensuring the safety of all participants. It’s easy to imagine that during a concert, both individuals with disabilities and other attendees might face serious risks. Therefore, Juvenalia organisers are increasingly confronted with the challenge of addressing these situations.
Current legislation doesn’t mandate the creation of designated zones for people with disabilities. Despite this, the adaptation of Juvenalia events to the needs of individuals with disabilities grows yearly. When accommodating the Juvenalia concert for individuals with disabilities, organisers should consider several important aspects.
Firstly, a designated area for people with disabilities, often consisting of a platform for wheelchair users, minimises the safety risks for individuals with specific needs compared to being in the midst of a crowd of celebrating students. When creating such zones, organisers should also consider individuals with low vision. The designated area, typically not directly in front of the stage, should be located strategically to ensure that those individuals don’t struggle to see through the crowd.
Secondly, preparing the event area to provide easy access to the designated area for people with disabilities is crucial. This means avoiding locations with difficult terrain or elevated areas that could pose a challenge for individuals using wheelchairs. It is advisable to include this area and the access route on the event map published for participants.
Thirdly, training the information service on ensuring the safety of events involving people with disabilities is essential. Frontline personnel should be knowledgeable about the existence of such designated areas and how to access them. Volunteers, often students themselves, should be prepared to assist individuals with disabilities in reaching these areas, considering that they might be disoriented in the large event crowd.
Fourthly, providing a dedicated entrance for people with disabilities is essential. The entrance should be wide enough to accommodate wheelchair users without requiring a reorganisation of the prepared infrastructure. Considering a solid surface to minimise the risk of wheelchair entanglement in mud is also advised.
Designating a specific person responsible for coordinating the designated area is good practice. This prevents issues arising during the event due to the organisers being occupied with other tasks. It also ensures better care for participants with disabilities.
In the event regulations, attention should be given to blind individuals with guide dogs. While there is generally a ban on bringing animals to mass events, guide dogs are an exception by law. Organisers should be prepared for such situations, and personnel should know how to handle them.
Despite the lack of clearly defined legal regulations for people with disabilities participating in mass events, student unions strive to cater to their needs and create dedicated spaces. This initiative is commendable, and where such accommodations are lacking, encouraging organisers to consider and implement them in the future is essential. Juvenalia is our grand celebration, and every student, regardless of health status, should be able to make the most of it.