114 for All at Venue 114
Live events are for everyone, which is why leading Sunshine Coast venues are dedicated to improving inclusion and access for those with disabilities. Rebecca Jamieson Dwyer discovers more…
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of live music, the buzz of theatre, or the magic of a kids’ performance. But for people with disabilities, having to navigate different venues can sometimes be challenging. That’s why Venue 114 in Bokarina, and Maroochydore-based Altitude Nine, have proudly implemented Cérge – a local technology dedicated to improving access and inclusion for people with a disability, with the aim of making it easier for people to move around all types of venues in their community.
Co-founded by Sunshine Coast locals, Victoria and Chris Kerrisk, Cérge addresses the lack of public information about accessibility.
It features a companion website for venues to display their accessibility features, plus an app that lets customers communicate their needs directly to staff ahead of arriving – such as needing assistance from a staff member, requesting access to a quiet space, letting staff know they’ll be accompanied by a support animal, or any other specific request.
Venue 114 and Altitude Nine first used Cérge for their The Curated Plate festival events held across the two spaces, and are the first Sunshine Coast Council venues to implement the assistive technology app.
Over 70% of all disabilities are invisible, and each person is unique, which means service and hospitality staff often don’t have the tools and lack the confidence to deliver empathetic service.
Cérge aims to empower people by making information about each venue’s accessibility and sensory experience publicly available in a way that customers can access on their own terms.
Venue 114 Manager Louise Thompson has always had a passion for excellence when it comes to customer service and was shocked to discover that the greatest source of discrimination for people with disability is from service and hospitality staff – albeit, in most cases, not deliberately.
“We are already seeing our customers using the app to communicate with us and seeking out the information they need on our venue websites in order to feel more comfortable before attending an event at our venues,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful outcome to be able to share the accessibility features our venues have in a way that’s relevant, and my staff welcome the extra resources to be able to be truly inclusive, whatever that might look and feel like.”
Here’s to a more inclusive future!
GET CÉRGE
Download the Cérge App today!
A lack of publicly available accessible information and inadvertent, discriminatory customer service are the two biggest, yet easily solved, social barriers to community participation, sport & leisure and accessible tourism for up to 1 in 5 people. If you have special needs or a business wanting to do better, visit www.cerge.app to find out more.
