A quest to find an accessible fish and chip shop has led to the creation of a life-changing app for foodies with disability.
Called EnAccess Maps, the app is taking Melbourne venues by storm, providing accurate information on everything from bathrooms to entrances for those who need it.
It was founded by Sabrina Leung, a former disability support worker who quickly discovered the struggles her client would go through just to find somewhere to go out to for lunch.
Due to the nature of her disability, Leung’s client often couldn’t access restaurants and cafes; the venues were simply inaccessible.
It meant something as simple as going out for a special dinner needed a full day of calling, emailing and physically checking locations for their accessibility – for things like a step-free venue, tables at the right height for a power wheelchair, accessible bathrooms and an accessible public transport stop nearby.
“Whereas for me, I just walk into a restaurant… I don’t really think about those things,” Leung said.
The realisation served as inspiration for Leung, who was studying at the time. Out of a desire to help her friend, she came up with an idea: a web-based app that would provide accessibility guidance for venues around Melbourne, so that people with disability could easily find somewhere to eat or hang out.
Leung said very few Melbourne venues showcase accessibility information on their website, and many provide inaccurate information when asked over the phone due to a lack of awareness of what full accessibility entails.
EnAccess Maps is a web app that takes that hard work out of finding a venue in Melbourne. It includes restaurants, cafes, and some libraries and parks and lists their accessible features. Users can filter by location and activity.
It was designed with full involvement of people with disability. “Every step of the way, from designing to implementing, building EnAccess Maps involved people with disabilities,” she said.
The web app also has an advisory group of around five people who provide feedback on the app and its filter criteria. In the near future, the team will expand beyond just physical access to consider sensory accessibility using input from people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or who are blind or have low vision.
EnAccess Maps gathers data in three ways: people can write their own reviews on the website, or venues can self-list using a guided form on accessible features, or they can hire an assessor from the EnAccess team who visits the venue to do an accessibility assessment. The assessors are all people with disability, ensuring their perspective is one of lived experience.
Leung said there has been interest from local councils who have hired assessors to visit council-run facilities to document their accessibility, with EnAccess Maps gaining “steady traction” amongst councils.
The app also provides employment for people with disability; assessors are paid for their work, as well as disabled content creators who are paid to eat at venues and create content about their experience.
Leung said it was a surprise to see just how EnAccess Maps has taken off.
“The goal was to help my friend find good fish and chip shops in Melbourne.”
With grant funding under their belts, EnAccess is going from strength to strength – and changing mindsets and lives along the way.
Leung said she hoped venues would realise they’re missing out on customers by not making their spaces accessible, or by providing accurate accessibility information.
“We just want to be independent and feel like we’re in control of what happens to us, and the best way to give someone control is by giving them the right information to make decisions. Accessibility is actually not as scary as you think… it’s not about being perfect, it’s just about starting with information and… helping your visitors feel confident and safe when they visit,” she said.
To find out more, or for employment opportunities, visit EnAccess Maps online.
Photo: University of Melbourne
I think this app is the best thing since sliced bread!