When most people want to go to a concert or sporting event, the only thing they consider is whether they can get a ticket. but for people requiring enhanced accessibility, the uncertainty around the facilities at a venue might put them off even trying to attend. Venues across Australia are improving their accessible features, but advocates say that is only part of the solution.
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00:00 Maddy Heddy knows first hand how daunting going to big events can be with a disability.
00:07 Sometimes the fear and the anxiety of that event not being accessible outweighs the whole experience.
00:24 The 22 year old, who is the daughter of West Coast Eagles Premiership player Brett, has cerebral palsy, which affects her movement and speech.
00:33 She often takes a sensory kit with her when she goes to events which don't have facilities available for people who need to escape the noise and crowds.
00:41 At Perth Stadium there will soon be a permanent sensory room, following a trial conducted by the Fremantle Dockers in 2022 and 2023.
00:51 Some families used it every week. There was a couple of families that had never been to the football and were just so thrilled that they could participate as a family, which was really touching.
01:00 Many big venues across Australia have either permanent sensory or quiet rooms or spaces that can be converted for big events.
01:08 But while these spaces are valuable for the people who need them, they are only a part of making stadiums and events accessible.
01:16 It's about increasing awareness of the rights of people with disabilities to be able to attend and enjoy an event like anybody else.
01:21 Talk to the individual, find out what they need and assist them in getting that so that they can have the most enjoyable experience that they can.
01:44 Perth Stadium hopes its sensory room will be up and running by the start of the AFL season.
01:48 season.
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