At a recent event in Parliament, Westminster and its partners called on policymakers to enhance access to assistive technology and improve accessibility in further education (FE) colleges as part of the Westminster-led Make Things Accessible campaign.
During the event volunteers from the Access and Assistance for All (AAA) campaign shared powerful personal stories about the accessibility challenges they face. Their confidence and determination resonated deeply with attendees, highlighting the urgent need for change.
Attendees, including MPs, campaign volunteers and advocates, emphasised the importance of building an education system that leaves no learner behind. At the event there was a unified call for a level playing field, ensuring every learner can thrive independently. MPs pledged to engage with local colleges and champion accessibility initiatives in their constituencies and multiple MPs joined the campaign.
The AAA is a youth-led project run by The Thomas Pocklington Trust in partnership with UCL, within the Westminster-led Make Things Accessible campaign.
Ben Watson, Head of Digital Accessibility at UCL, said: "The lovely thing about this project is that it is led by current college students who are purely motivated by their desire to make the education landscape better for those that come after them. Their energy and enthusiasm is powering this campaign and the impact has been fantastic and their commitment is achieving real cultural change in the colleges that have signed up so far."
The project is part of the Make Things Accessible campaign, a pioneering initiative that pools resources and expertise to address accessibility challenges. Through collaboration the campaign has produced guidelines on how to make the digital space more accessible and inclusive.
George Rhodes, Head of Digital Accessibility at the University of Westminster, said: “This alignment with a student-led campaign to encourage further education colleges to adopt more accessible practices is an incredibly meaningful chance to directly give back to a sector we know can benefit from further support.”
This event directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Westminster’s dedication to digital accessibility.
