Accessibility

Ask for accessibility support

Email oudebateclub@gmail.com if you need help to use the website, book an event or take part.

Tell us:

• which page or event you need help with

• what is difficult to use or do

• what support would help

• how you would like us to reply

You normally do not need to give us a diagnosis or send medical evidence.

We consider reasonable adjustments: reasonable changes that remove or reduce a disadvantage for a disabled person that is more than minor or trivial.

Contact us as early as you can if support needs arranging in advance, such as a professional captioner or sign-language interpreter. We still consider requests made close to or during an event.

We will discuss what you need and confirm the agreed arrangements.

What support costs

We do not charge you extra for a reasonable adjustment. Ordinary event or membership charges may still apply.

If you need someone to attend to support you, contact us to agree the arrangements.

When we will reply

We aim to:

• acknowledge your request within 5 working days

• give you a fuller response within 10 working days

We prioritise requests for events happening soon. If we need longer, we will explain why and tell you when to expect a reply.

Working days are Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays in England and Wales.

If email is difficult to use, someone can contact us with your permission. You can also speak privately to an event organiser. We will discuss a suitable way to continue the conversation.

Using oudebateclub.com

Our target is to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at Level AA. These are recognised standards for making websites and digital content accessible.

We aim to provide:

• clear headings and plain language

• links that explain where they go

• useful descriptions of images

• text with enough contrast against its background

• navigation and forms you can use with a keyboard

• content that works with tools such as screen readers

We have not verified whether the website meets this standard. We will update this page with confirmed test results, known problems and planned fixes.

If a page, form or document is difficult to use, contact us. We will discuss an alternative you can use.

Booking through Luma

We use Luma to list events and take bookings.

If you cannot use a Luma booking form, email oudebateclub@gmail.com. You do not need to sign into Luma to contact us.

We will help you register or agree another booking route. We will provide your confirmation and joining information in a format you can use.

Using another booking route will not, in itself, reduce your access to available places or cost you extra.

Tell us what support you need. Avoid putting medical details into booking forms or sensitive information into public comments.

Luma publishes its own accessibility guidance. It says it does not have a formal report confirming whether it meets WCAG.

Taking part on Zoom

We use Zoom for online events. Available accessibility features depend on your device, software and the event settings.

Check the event information and joining instructions for the arrangements that apply.

Captions and interpreters

For spoken-English sessions, our default is to enable and check automatic live captions where available. Captions display speech as text during the event.

Automatic captions can make mistakes. If you need more accurate captions, a sign-language interpreter or other support, contact us. We will discuss what you need and confirm the arrangements.

Read Zoom’s accessibility guidance or Zoom’s help with captions.

Ways to take part

For open debates and workshops, you can normally:

• listen without speaking

• keep your camera off

We can also discuss:

• contributing by typing

• extra time to prepare or respond

• breaks

• attending with a support person

Some activities may have essential participation requirements. We will explain these in the event information and discuss relevant adjustments.

If something stops you taking part

Tell the organiser if captions, chat, polls or breakout rooms make it difficult to participate.

We will discuss an effective alternative and adapt the activity where appropriate. A recording or transcript provided later may not replace your chance to take part live.

Documents and recordings

Contact us if you need event information or learning materials in another accessible format.

We will check published recordings for usable captions and provide transcripts where needed for access.

Where essential visual information is missing from the spoken audio, we will provide the audio description needed to meet our accessibility target. Audio description explains important visual information aloud.

Event information will tell you whether an event is recorded. Asking for accessibility support does not mean you agree to be recorded or featured in publicity.

In-person events

For an in-person event, contact us to discuss:

• entering and moving around the venue

• seating and accessible toilets

• hearing support

• emergency arrangements

Your personal information

We only ask for information needed to arrange support.

We handle access information privately and share relevant instructions only with people who need them. Information about your health or disability has additional protection under data protection law.

Read our privacy notice to find out how we use, protect and keep your information.

Use a private contact route for sensitive details.

Report a problem or make a complaint

Email oudebateclub@gmail.com if something makes it difficult to use our services or take part. You can also ask us to review an adjustment decision.

Tell us:

• which page or event is involved

• what happened

• what you would like us to do

Details about your device, browser or tools such as a screen reader can help, but are optional.

We aim to acknowledge complaints within 5 working days and give a fuller response within 20 working days. If we need longer, we will explain why and tell you when to expect a reply.

You can ask a director to review our response. Where possible, someone who did not make the original decision will carry out the review.

You can ask for an accessible way to complain or give someone permission to help you. Raising a concern will not reduce your access to our activities.

The Equality Advisory and Support Service provides independent equality advice in England, Scotland and Wales. Our complaints process does not affect your legal rights.

Reviewing our accessibility

We review our accessibility policy at least once a year. We update this page when our arrangements change or we have new, verified findings.

You can email us to request the full accessibility policy in Word format.