In commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3, a delegation from Israel Elwyn—the country’s largest network of programs and facilities serving people with disabilities—took to Israel’s streets to bring increased awareness of the challenges faced by the community. The initiative was specifically designed to encourage efforts to make public transportation more accessible and “user-friendly” to the needs of those with disabilities.
The campaign, which includes 10 tips, was developed by members of Israel Elwyn’s Spokesperson Group comprised of people with a variety of disabilities who participate in training on how to use media and communications tools to publicize the unique needs of the community. Examples include making sure the person is not left at the bus stop and is seated safely before leaving the station; offering help to get on or off the bus; making the person aware if there is a change in the route or any regular procedure; and speaking clearly and with patience, among other suggestions.
“It was particularly important to us for people to understand that public transportation is something that we rely upon heavily,” said group participant Shalom Lev. “The goal of this campaign, in honor of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, is to show the public, and in particular, transportation professionals like drivers and supervisors, how to highlight key points when they encounter a person with disabilities on a bus, train or at the station.”
The group created a hashtag for the initiative—#Love_Kav—a play on the words Rav Kav, which is Israel’s most prevalent form of payment used on public transportation platforms. Dozens of Israel Elwyn “ambassadors” took up positions at bus and train stops in Jerusalem, Ashkelon, Herzliya and Haifa with specially designed cards for the drivers and supervisors. The representatives were encouraged to engage in dialogue with the goal of heightening a positive relationship with the community while reflecting on the specific challenges facing people of all types of disabilities in the public transportation space.
“As much progress as has been made in bringing respect and awareness to the needs of those with disabilities, our daily experience shows that we still have much more to achieve in creating an inclusive environment and removing some of the daily challenges with public transportation,” says David Marcu, president of Israel Elwyn. “Our Spokespersons Group, founded with support from the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Fla., realized that a great place to start is with the drivers and inspectors—often the first line of interaction on public transportation—and help them understand the challenges so that all travelers can be treated with greater respect and patience.”
