Collaborative spaces within the cities serve as Social equalizers to disenfranchised populations. These spaces help promote social inclusion for people with cognitive and social disabilities. The collaborative spaces act as accessible hubs of learning, innovation, meaningful relationships, civic engagement, and creativity. In the article, you will learn how urban collaborative spaces can provide many benefits for people with disabilities. Additionally, you will also learn about accessibility in urban design as well as about improving accessibility and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Urban areas.
What are Collaborative Spaces?
There is no formal definition of a collaborative space but these spaces are thought to have collaborative learning environments. Here different people can come together and learn new skills. These places are not born out of materials but rather by the mindset of creation, collaboration, and partnership. These spaces work towards the welfare of others by alleviating some form of public encumbrance. Many people have a notion that these spaces are full of young-age people but it’s not true, people from all age groups and skill sets are moving toward these spaces. After this, let’s see how urban collaborative spaces can provide many benefits for people with disabilities.
How Urban Collaborative Spaces Can Provide Many Benefits for People with Disabilities?
The world and society are becoming more urban and digital. In a time like this also the importance of smart application of face-to-face collaboration and physical space is persistent. Humans crave human contact and most people prefer collaborative environments. People with cognitive and physical disabilities are often disenfranchised and shut off from full participation and that is a reason why they need collaborative spaces. These spaces are capable of creating immense opportunities for people with disabilities as they have an enormous reserve of creativity. Creating these spaces shouldn’t be an act of charity, it’s simply right to build them. These spaces will only have meaningful social inclusion when people begin recognizing that people with disabilities possess equal values to voice their concerns as well as create solutions to life problems. This is how urban collaborative spaces can provide many benefits for people with disabilities. After learning this, let’s see how Improving accessibility and the inclusion of Persons with disabilities in Urban areas.
Also Read: 12 Innovative Urban Transportation Apps – Energy Theory
How Improving Accessibility and the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Urban Areas Help Them?
By Improving accessibility in urban design, people with disabilities can get the following opportunities-
- The primary benefit of these collaborative spaces is that they provide social interaction opportunities for people with disabilities. According to a survey, people with disability commonly say that their number one need in life is social interaction. The collaborative spaces help create friendships around common interests and goals. These friendships would likely not have been formed in the outside environment.
- Collaborative spaces can serve as a channel for increasing civic engagement and participation. Often, local governments seek ways to engage marginalized populations in non-public venues. The gap between public officials and citizens can be reduced by using collaborative spaces like civic labs.
- People with disabilities face a multitude of technical changes in their day-to-day life but they often don’t get technological solutions for these challenges. Collaborative spaces can be used to tackle these challenges. They can create innovative solutions using rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and materials fabrication. Lastly, the unemployment rate is pretty high among people with disabilities.
However, these people want to work and provide value to society. Collaborative spaces can serve as centers of skills training and job. Spending time in such spaces teaches people teamwork, problem-solving, and technical skills, and about changing learning modes.
