Wheelmap.org, world map of accessibility for wheelchair users

admin on 5 February 2021

Volunteer adding information into the map. By Andi Weiland I Wheelmap.org

Virtual free access map that indicates the accessibility of public sites around the world for persons with reduced mobility or wheelchair users, parents with a stroller, etc. It works similarly to Wikipedia: everyone can contribute with their knowledge of public places to update, expand, and improve the information contained in the map, in a very simple way. The map can be used from both your computer and mobile phone or tablet, using the Apps for iPhone and Android. It works all around the world and has already been translated into 32 languages, including Catalan and Spanish.

The accessibility rating system for each space is very easy to understand because it follows the idea of the traffic light: green if the site is fully accessible to wheelchairs; orange if it is partially accessible; and red if it is not. Sites that still have to be marked have a grey colour label. At the same time, this colour rating follows two important criteria: the first is accessibility in general, meaning whether or not there are stairs at the entry or inside the place to mark. And the second is the accessibility of toilets for wheelchair users. This will provide essential information to these people and shows the level of universal accessibility of the villages and towns of the whole planet.

Characteristics of innovation

Bank of innovations, Cross-cutting intervention, Disability, Fully inclusive cities, Information and planning, Lab, Link with the community, New service, New technological tool, Personalization of the service, Self-management and participation, User empowerment

Location

In the whole world

Partners / Funders

The project is funded through grants, prize money, private donations as well as help from volunteers from around the world.

Genesis

The application was created in 2010 by a team led by Raul Krauthausen, a German social entrepreneur with the aim of helping people who use a wheelchair or have reduced mobility to better and easier plan their day-to-day activities.

Implementation level

Today, more than 750,000 public sites around the world can be found on the map, and approximately 300 new sites are added every day. This also involves the translation and adaptation of the map to its 32 different languages.

It has received awards from different organizations, for example: Vodafone’s Smart Accessibility Award, the INCA (Innovative and Creative Application) and the first European Award for Social Entrepreneurship and Disability.

Further information

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Older Women’s Cohousing, fighting against unwanted solitude

admin on 24 January 2021

Members of the OWCH Project in one of the dwellings

Community housing project for women over the age of 50 deployed in North London. It consists of 26 individual dwellings that combine common areas so that community members have privacy at the same time as spaces where they meet and make community life. It is a group controlled by the same neighbours, where decisions are taken in a shared way and in which each woman collaborates in any way they can.

This housing model is a good form of empowerment for older women who live alone and want to share their lives with other women while also feeling independent. An important part of the project is that it is inclusive. To not discriminate by income level, part of the housing is social rental and therefore at affordable prices. The 26 members of the community, who are between 50 and 80 years old, are not only neighbours, but share their day-to-day activities such as gardening, painting, lunches with family members and friends, etc. In this way, they remedy loneliness and is expected that living accompanied can lead to a longer and better life.