Better Events Begin with Co-design

The best events are not simply created for a community. They are created with the people who will attend, participate, and bring the event to life.

Co-design means involving people from the beginning. It gives people the opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, access needs, and hopes before important decisions have already been made.

For inclusive events, this is particularly important. People with disability understand the barriers that can make attending an event difficult, uncomfortable, or impossible. These may include inaccessible venues, overwhelming noise or lighting, unclear information, limited transport, unsuitable activities, or a lack of accessible ways to communicate.

When people with disability are part of planning an event, accessibility becomes part of the event from the beginning rather than something added later.

Co-design can include community conversations, planning groups, surveys, poster activities, venue visits, access reviews, and opportunities for people to vote on ideas. People should also be supported to participate in ways that work for them, including through Easy Read information, visual choices, communication support, or informal conversations.

Most importantly, people should be able to see how their ideas influenced the final event.

At Advocacy WA, we believe people with disability should have meaningful opportunities to shape the communities they live in. Co-design helps create events that reflect the people attending them and builds a stronger sense of belonging, ownership, and connection.

Inclusive events begin by asking the community what they want. They become successful when we listen and act on what we hear.

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