Key tips

• Check the date against major festivals and holidays

  Check an interfaith calendar for key religious holidays. Christian holidays will largely coincide with bank holidays (events in weeks containing bank holidays usually have a lower turnout) and you should also consider other religious holidays that may prevent someone from attending, for example, Yom Kippur or Ramadan.

  Check the date against school term times (where applicable).

• Invitations, leaflets and posters following accessibility principles
  • Are invitations in a minimum size 12 point Arial font (ideally size 14 or 16 point)?
  • Has accessibility principles been followed? - Accessibility Standards at Ulster University
• Provide the contact details and deadline date for requesting reasonable adjustments
  • Consider how to share information in line with all Data Protection legislation.
  • Provide a deadline date, as it can be very difficult to find communication professionals, such as British or Irish Sign Language (BSL and ISL) interpreters, at the last minute.
• Agree the briefing with anyone presenting or chairing
  • Arrange a briefing sheet or meeting to ensure appropriate language, description of any images, and how to time for additional support needs such as interpreters. Doing this early will help you to create a realistic timetable.
  • Stress the importance of not over-running. People may rely on medication, food or support needs, so meeting or events that over-run can cause distress.
• Agree the deadline dates for materials with presenters

  Warn anyone presenting that material may need to be provided well in advance so it can be produced in alternative formats.

• Provisionally book communications support
  • Ask anyone providing communication support about break needs. Typically if there are two BSL or two ISL interpreters they will rotate every 20 minutes or so. Usually, you will not need to stop the meeting for this, but find out before the meeting or event commences.
  • You may also have to book lip speakers.
  • You may also be required to book live captioning services (captioning by a person rather than via automation or using AI creation) - these need to be booked and confirmed well in advance.