In partnership with accessibility expert, Meryl Evans, Renaissance Woman Consulting offers customizable accessibility training series for various industries.
Youth-Serving Organizations
This training series has been designed for out-of-school professionals and organizations who support and train them. It focuses on accessibility both within the organization or workplace and the programming they offer. The primary series involves three 1.5-hour virtual meetings. Additional sessions can be added to cover specific topics of interest.
Primary Series Key Deliverables
Attendees will:
- Understand key principles of accessibility and how to center accessibility in their work.
- Assess the accessibility of their organization and their programming.
- Explore tools for checking accessibility of materials they create.
- Practice facilitation strategies that support all participants in their programming.
- Practice accessible digital communication strategies.
Optional Deliverables (may require additional sessions)
Material Development
- Guide participants in designing a PPT template for presentations that is accessible.
- Create a tool with questions to ask during the design and throughout the implementation all programs to ensure accessibility has been considered.
- Create resource(s) to share with collaborators or others hired by the organization to increase accessibility of their offerings.
Business Practices
- Explore how to build an inclusive environment for employees to disclose their needs.
- Understand how to make their hiring process accessible.
- Discuss how to make staff meetings and training accessible.
Accessible Youth Engagement
- Develop strategies for making youth programming and activities more accessible.
- Discuss how to engage with caregivers and school districts for youth-serving organizations.
- Explore community resources and community partner programs for organizations working locally.
Allyship
- Understand key principles of disability allyship.
- Create a personal plan for growing as an accessibility ally.
Training Team
Sara Kobilka is the owner and principal consultant for Renaissance Woman Consulting LLC and a dedicated lifelong learner. She actively cross-pollinates impactful ideas across industries and disciplines. She’s passionate about education, communication, outreach and networking. She keeps issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, access, accessibility and justice at the heart of her work.
Sara has worked in out-of-school programs for more than 25 years in 5 states. She’s involved nationally in diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and STEM engagement initiatives that seek to inspire interest and excitement for STEM broadly. She has experience facilitating/moderating virtual and in-person training for out-of-school educators, tutoring and designing/leading camps for youth on a plethora of topics and designing formal education curriculum. Sara is a trainer for SciGirls, Hero Elementary, Click2Science and ACRES.
Meryl Evans, CPACC, is a TEDx and professional speaker, trainer, author, and accessibility consultant who was born profoundly deaf. She is a highly regarded speaker on diversity, equity, and inclusion who focuses on people with disabilities and accessibility. Meryl is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy.
Meryl has led accessibility training for many companies including PlutoTV, Tubi, and local government agencies. She was part of the team that developed and published PCMA’s event accessibility certificate.
In 2022, Sara and Meryl created the Digital Engagement Accessibility Toolkit for the Association for Science and Technology Centers.
To discuss what this training could look like for your organization, contact Sara Kobilka at sara@renwomanconsulting.com.