Accessibility at Roots & Rivers

At Roots & Rivers, our work is guided by a commitment to reducing barriers and supporting meaningful participation. Accessibility is a strategic priority for our organization, as outlined in our Strategic Plan 2026-2030. This applies across our internal operations, hiring and onboarding, staff support, client engagements, facilitation, and public communications. We work to ensure that disabled people*, neurodivergent people, and others who experience accessibility barriers can participate meaningfully and with dignity.

To us, accessibility means creating conditions where people can engage without avoidable barriers. This includes how we communicate, design processes, select tools, facilitate conversations, and set expectations. It also means recognizing that access needs vary, can change over time, and are shaped by ableism embedded in systems that privilege a narrow range of bodies, minds, and ways of being.

Our Approach to Accessibility

Our approach is guided by a comprehensive internal accessibility framework that supports the commitments outlined in our Strategic Plan. This framework includes over 100 commitments that guide day-to-day practices related to proactive planning, clear communication, flexible participation, and responsive accommodation across our work.

This framework complements our legal responsibilities as an employer including our duty to accommodate employees and applicants on protected grounds such as disability, family status, and religion. Our accessibility practices are designed to address barriers before they arise, not only when accommodation is requested. 

These commitments are designed to guide consistent internal practice, support accountability, and reduce the burden on individuals to repeatedly explain or justify access needs. When access needs cannot be fully met, or when needs conflict, we aim to communicate transparently, explore alternatives collaboratively, and work toward the most supportive option available within our capacity.

Accountability and Ongoing Learning  

Accessibility requires ongoing attention, reflection, and adjustment. We continue to learn from our team, collaborators, clients, lived-experience experts, and community partners, and we expect our practices to evolve as our capacity grows. We welcome feedback when barriers are experienced or anticipated, as this helps us identify gaps, respond responsibly, and strengthen accountability to the commitments that guide our work. Information about how to provide feedback is included at the end of the blog.

As we grow, we are working to strengthen our accessibility practice through continued learning, improved facilitation approaches, clearer feedback loops, and more accessible public communications. We are also working to align our efforts with the Accessible British Columbia Act as provincial standards evolve. We understand accessibility as a shared responsibility and an ongoing practice, and we are committed to approaching this work with care, transparency, and intention.

As part of our commitment to ongoing learning and accountability, Roots & Rivers is a member of the Accessible Employers network. Through this community, we engage with resources, shared learning opportunities, and peer organizations working to improve accessibility in workplace practices. Participation in this network supports our efforts to strengthen internal policies, reflect on emerging practices, and continue building more accessible ways of working.

Website Migration

As part of our broader accessibility commitments, we are currently migrating our website to a new platform. This initiative supports our strategic priority to improve accessibility across our communications and public-facing materials.

During this transition, we are focusing on improving site navigation and content. This includes attention to page structure, clear language, captioning, and alternative text.

We recognize that accessibility barriers may still exist on our current website. If you experience difficulty accessing any content or functionality, please let us know and will work to provide information in an alternative format where possible.

You can contact us at connect@rootsandrivers.ca with “Accessibility” in the subject line.

Acknowledgements

This statement is informed by our learning from the Accessible Employers resources and courses, as well as by insights we gained through conversations with our ecosystem member Ry Hemingway and organizations including iilo Creative Alliance, Untapped Accessibility, Evenings & Weekends Consulting, and Irregular Training.

*Terminology related to disability is not neutral and is shaped by lived experience. Many disability advocates prefer identity-first language (e.g., disabled people) as aligned with the social model of disability. We use this language intentionally, while acknowledging that preferences vary and committing to respect individual and community choices.