More initiatives during the introductory weeks for students with disabilities

The call to make introduction weeks accessible to students with disabilities or mental challenges seems to be gaining traction. In many cities, this group is taken into account during the introduction period for first-year students, a survey shows.

The organization of the OWee in Delft ensures that all events are accessible to disabled people. Students with disabilities can also participate in the KEI week in Groningen, the EL CID in Leiden, the UIT in Utrecht, and the Radboud Intro in Nijmegen. Toilets for people with disabilities are provided, and an inventory is made in advance of which locations are accessible with a wheelchair so that students are not surprised. At the INKOM in Maastricht, event areas are "largely" accessible for students in wheelchairs. For the visually impaired, signage has been made with large, simple fonts and a significant contrast between the text color and the background.

Several cities indicate that disabled participants can provide special details when registering so that these can be taken into account. For example, for young people who are easily overstimulated or have difficulty with crowds, there are low-stimulus areas or certain "quiet alternatives" to the regular program. For example, in Leiden, they organize a low-stimulus drink, and in Wageningen, there are "neurodiverse" groups for participants who are easily overstimulated. Leeuwarden also has "stimulus-free" groups, where students can take a break every now and then during the busy program. These groups are supervised by mentors who know how to support these participants best.

ECIO

Last year, the Expertise Center for Inclusive Education (ECIO) and student organizations such as ISO and LSVb called on organizers to take all young people into account, so that students with disabilities can also participate in the introduction periods for MBO, HBO and WO students. The organizations said at the time that buildings must be accessible and that spaces should be provided where students can retreat if they receive too many stimuli.

The ECIO has not made an inventory of the changes compared to last year this year and, therefore, says it cannot comment on the current state of affairs.