One challenge, many perspectives: learning from the first Sense BSR partner visit

One of the key questions explored during the visit was: how can services be designed so that neurodivergent people can use them more independently? Expert discussions covered different aspects and solutions, from individual support, adaptive communication and understanding each person’s needs to the physical design of services and environments. Such desired services should allow and enable people to participate together, rather than separate them because of their needs.

Learning beyond the meeting room

The exchange continued beyond formal discussions with visits to local recreational spaces, including Tērvete Nature Park and Dobele Castle, as well as a workshop with behaviour development expert. The activities provided an opportunity to consider inclusion in diverse environments: education, public services, cultural and leisure spaces. Bringing together people who work in these different fields also emphasized the value of looking at inclusion as a shared responsibility. A more accessible society is not created by one organisation or one sector alone. It emerges when different actors understand each other’s perspectives and consider accessibility as part of how services and places are designed from the beginning.

A starting point for the Sense BSR work

The first Sense BSR partner visit strengthened the value of transnational cooperation in bringing new ideas to familiar challenges and adapting ready-made solutions. The Dobele visit was an important starting point for the next stage of the Sense BSR project, helping partners identify key question for the needs analysis with the project’s target groups. The findings will help partners better understand the barriers and expectations of different users and inform the development of more inclusive recreational services.