Working together on an accessible Heerlen for everyone
Everyone should be able to take part in Heerlen, including the roughly 14,000 residents with a disability or chronic illness. Samen Toegankelijk Heerlen works towards an accessible city where no one is left out. But we cannot do it alone. Use the button below to see straight away what you can do.
As a resident, business owner, neighbourhood council or municipality
Experts by experience
Our experts by experience assess buildings and public spaces. They know from daily practice what obstacles people with disabilities face.
Working together
We work closely with the municipality of Heerlen and other organisations on accessibility policy and its implementation. Our advice: include accessibility fully in the design of buildings, shops, public spaces and events. That saves a lot of money and frustration afterwards.
Visible results
Thanks to our efforts there is more attention for accessibility, with visible improvements such as clearer websites, more accessible buildings and events that everyone can attend.
Advising from experience and knowledge
Our experts by experience are people with a physical, visual, auditory or intellectual disability. At the request of the municipality, business owners or a neighbourhood council they assess public spaces and buildings: from the layout of the city centre to facilities in the neighbourhood. Alongside their own experience they use knowledge to advise, for example on the width of doors and paths, lighting, tactile guide lines and thresholds.
Would you like to sign up as an expert by experience? Sign up here.
Do you recognise this?
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A heavy door is hard to manage if you use a wheelchair or walker. With a push button or sensor, the door opens for everyone.
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Where a hedge hangs over the pavement, there is sometimes little room to pass. After a trim, everyone can get through again.
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A letter full of long sentences and small print is difficult to follow for many people. Clear language and a calm layout help everyone.
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A container on the pavement is hard to get past, especially for anyone walking with a white cane. A different spot clears the route again.
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A utility box or bin on the walking route sometimes leaves little room. A spot right next to it often makes all the difference.
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Stairs at the entrance are a real obstacle for wheelchair users. With a ramp or a bell at the door, everyone is welcome.
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A pavement sign sometimes leaves little room for anyone using a walker or white cane. Against the facade it works just as well.
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Things can get in the way online too: a website that is hard to follow. You are just as welcome to report digital barriers to us.
Visible results
Good results come from collaboration and communication. An important message: sometimes it is very easy to take accessibility into account. We made our light-hearted film ‘Zo makkelijk is het!’ (It’s that easy!) together with Zuyd University of Applied Sciences. It shows how small the step towards an accessible Heerlen often is, and how much it matters to the people who deal with it every day. The film is in Dutch.
Report a problem
Do you see an obstacle? Do you have an experience, question or idea? Report it below. Together we make Heerlen more accessible.
