PARTICIPATION OF PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS AT DJK SPORTVERBAND KÖLN e. V.
REALISATION
The "Kirche läuft” (The Church Runs) event and the Familien.Spiele.Fest (Family Games Festival) organised by the DJK Sports Association Cologne e.V.combine sporting activities with inclusion, accessibility and participation. Over 1,250 runners took part in various running competitions during the summer of 2024. A special orientation system improved participation for people with visual impairments.
The use of small Bluetooth boxes, known as beacons, enabled information to be passed on at certain points via mobile phone. The beacons send information that is automatically transferred to the phone when you come near them. This requires the user to install a specially designed app.
People with visual impairments thus receive useful information, e.g. about where catering stands are located and the food and drinks they offer. The beacons can also indicate where the entrance to the competition venue is or where the toilets are located. There are many ways for using this application.
Information can be imported as text, audio or video files and updated via the system without wasting any time. Other conceivable applications include videos in sign language.
Cologne also had positive experiences with the system at the EURO 2024 fan festival and at the DFB Women's Cup final.
BACKGROUND
Sporting events are open to all people. When planning and realising the event, people’s experiences and needs are integrated according to the different dimensions of diversity. By creating appropriate structures and processes and actively involving these population groups in the preparation and realisation of the sporting event, equal participation is put into practice and made visible and tangible for everyone.
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CHALLENGES
- Forward-looking planning and networking
- Changing perspective in order to to assess user needs according to the target group
- There are costs associated with purchasing or hiring Bluetooth beacons and installing the system, but these are lower than for tactile guidance
Further informations can be found here