Wheel Good Coffee is an Instagram page dedicated to rating the accessibility of coffee shops. Founder and occupational therapist Lesanne de Jager started the initiative to address the apprehension many people with disabilities feel about the accessibility of spaces.
By visiting different venues with wheelchair users, she provides others with a clear idea of what to expect from the venue beforehand. We caught up with Lesanne to learn more.
What is Wheel Good Coffee? What inspired this initiative?
Wheel Good Coffee is an initiative that aims to become a resource to wheelchair users that empowers and encourages community re-integration by experiencing coffee shops from an accessibility perspective, identifying possible hinderances, the efforts of inclusivity and the general atmosphere. Wheel Good Coffee provides that information so that wheelchair users know what to expect before entering a new space.
A social activity that I love engaging in is going out for coffee with friends. Reflecting on the number of new wheelchair users per year within Gauteng, the question came to mind: “Where are they?”. This inspired Wheel Good Coffee.
I started identifying the concerns that came to mind when I was going somewhere new: Anxious about where to park, where to go and what to expect. As an able-bodied person, the hurdles or considerations that were top of mind when going somewhere new is minimal to that of a wheelchair user.
This question and realisation fuelled the growth of Wheel Good Coffee. If wheelchair users know what to expect, even if a place is not entirely accessible, we might see more people with disabilities in our communities. We as a society might start viewing places and spaces in a more inclusive light.
What do you hope to achieve?
The goal is to expand the focus from just coffee spots to activities, events and locations. Wheel Good Coffee hopes that a byproduct of integrating wheelchair users into community would be shifting society’s view and perceptions of wheelchair users and disability.
The hope is to also inform businesses about accessibility, that it is much more than adding a ramp. By creating a platform where businesses can openly ask questions regarding accessibility and wheelchair users, Wheel Good Coffee hopes to convey a holistic understanding of accessibility while ensuring businesses realise that they should want wheelchair users to access their establishment rather than shy away from the conversation.
What criteria do you look for to make sure spaces are accessible?
Wheel Good Coffee has five aspects that are considered when going to locations. Each aspect consists of two considerations forming a point. In total, there are five points, but only half of a criteria may be met scoring half a point. The criteria are as follows:
Parking: There should be accessible parking and car guards present friendly and willing to assist should assistance be required.
Entrance: The terrain reaching the entrance to the coffee spot and the entrance into the establishment should be accessible.
Space: There should be space available to manoeuvre between the tables and chairs as well as space for a wheelchair to fit underneath the table and get close enough to the table.
Staff: The staff should be friendly, interact with the wheelchair user comfortably, and able to provide assistance if needed. Ideal
Facilities: There should be accessible bathrooms at the establishment.
Can people get involved and how?
The greater community’s involvement has not entirely been explored, but information from wheelchairs about their past experiences is such rich information. As an able-bodied person, I have experienced locations from that perspective and not from that of a wheelchair user.
Aspects of certain locations that have worked or efforts that have not worked to gain accessibility can be communicated to Wheel Good Coffee. The objective is to encourage wheelchair users, new and old, to integrate into community. What encourages you and what hinders you? This information is vital for Wheel Good Coffee to truly be an effective platform.
Businesses that are open to the constructive feedback provided and willing to engage in conversation around accessibility and disability would not only benefit the wheelchair users but also the business and the atmosphere they create.
The feedback provided is not necessarily things they need to address with fixed, permanent structures but simply being aware of the obstacles to wheelchair users and the ways to address it would allow the business as well as the wheelchair user to feel that good service was provided.
Wheel Good Coffee is a new initiative that is still dynamic and finding its feet. It hopes to be a beneficial resource. Ideas, perspectives and concerns are all welcome – especially from wheelchair users. Should people want to reach out, Wheel Good Coffee would love the hear from the communities involved in this initiative.
Wheel Good Coffee hopes to grow and register as an NPO. A great understanding we have is that access is not always environmental but consists of many aspects involved. The wheelchair plays a key role in the user’s ability and independence. Wheel Good Coffee hopes to branch and enable wheelchair user’s accessibilities from an individual equipment perspective as well.
