In Australia, more than 4.4 million people live with some form of disability. That's roughly 1 in 5 people.
Often there is a stereotypical depict that a 'disability' is something more permanent or severe, such as blindness or wheelchair use. But a disability isn't necessarily something that is long-term. Quite often, you or someone you know has suffered an illness or an injury that impacts the ability to move freely and independently. Whether that be temporary use of crutches while navigating a busy train station, a cast for a broken arm that makes it difficult for you to stand on a bus, or anything that changes the way you interact with the city around you.
On this episode, we sat down with Sue Boyce, the CEO of Ability Works Australia to discuss some of the challenges faced by people that live with disabilities in their daily lives. Everything to the accessibility options in a doctors office that impact your healthcare choices, whether the width of a tram station can actually accomodate a wheelchair, and the economic and social impacts on our society when we don't design with inclusivity for all people in mind.
In this episode you'll hear about:
- Social Procurement and how to operate an inclusive supply chain
- User-centered design for city infrastructure
- Accessibility disparities between urban and rural centers
- The economic cost of unintentionally excluding people with either short-term or long-term disabilities.