The Action

After organising a focus group with people who use wheelchairs, the team identified a lack of awareness of the frustrations and obstacles that wheelchair uses face everyday, such as unauthorised parking in wheelchair spaces.

The team hosted a wheelchair awareness week in their school. They also hosted a ‘Wheel Chair Day’ in Ballina, where they asked local people to use a wheelchair to make their way around the town 

The group met with local businesses  and politicians to discuss their  project. Keen to take a positive approach to the problem, they used messaging that applauded the presence of existing facilities while  also advocating the need for improvement and increased awareness.

They have designed a website featuring a detailed map of Ballina highlighting all wheelchair-friendly spots  in the town making it easier for wheelchair users to plan their  journeys.

They will put  forward a motion to the district council to set up a panel of people with disabilities that would assess buildings on how accessible they are.

The Impact

They received excellent publicity, participating in a discussion on Mid-West Radio that aired to 50,000 people and gained support from local TDs, councillors, and businesses. They also met with the town engineer to discuss the design of future facilities.

Deal with the Wheels has empowered the people of Ballina to make a positive difference to the lives of people who use wheelchairs.