>> What I'd really like to do, I think, maybe, is be an accessibility advocate/consultant. <<
That would be awesome. The world needs that job.
>> If you want to make sure your daycare program, or public facility, or summer camp is accessible to as many people as humanly possible, you give me money, I come and check things out, then point out what can be done. <<
It would help to having a scoring rubric. A section for physical things like ramps and grab bars, then inside that a checklist for individual items. A section for pyschological stuff like whether the staff have trauma-aware training and how overstimulating the place could be. A section for extra facilities like if they have a quiet room.
>> Or, if you want to convince your local whatever to be more accessible, you hire me and I come and explain why being accessible makes you more awesome. <<
That would be terrific, especially if you could codify some of the stuff into handouts on the benefits of diversity and how to improve it.
>> Hopefully I'd be able to charge large corporations an arm and a leg and consult with nonprofits and public schools and individuals who don't have ridiculous amounts of resources for no charge. <<
Yes, you can make a sliding scale. Many nonprofits do that.
>> But that's not a job that exists. <<
Neither was slaughterhouse animal comfort consultant, until an autistic woman invented it. Now her work makes slaughterhouses safer and more efficient for humans, and less stressful for animals. Because she thinks like a cow. It is really all about figuring out what you do well, and then monetizing that. Look for a problem people are having that you can solve.
>> And I'd need to learn more. Some of it is stuff I can figure out, like what angles you need for a really accessible ramp for wheelchairs, and other stuff I don't even know is a thing yet. <<
Much of it is stuff you could learn on the job, too. Start doing this as volunteer work until you feel confident about it. Frex, the obvious starting point would be the benefit lecture. That doesn't require detailed knowledge of hardware yet, it's all sociology. While building your network and public speaking skills on that, you could contact people with handicaps and organizations that serve them to learn more of the details. Then when you know more, start charging.
>>And I don't want to be self-employed at all.<<
That's a serious limitation. Hmmm ...
One option would be attaching yourself to a charity or nonprofit that serves people with disabilities.
There are also architects who build or renovate homes for disabled people, particularly veterans. Check out these lovely examples: http://www.stantonhomes.com/specialadaptedhousing.aspx Maybe a company that does adaptive equipment or facilities would like to hire you as a consultant. Or maybe they already have a similar job that you would like and could train for.
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dancing_serpent
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2015-07-05 10:55 pm (UTC)That would be awesome. The world needs that job.
>> If you want to make sure your daycare program, or public facility, or summer camp is accessible to as many people as humanly possible, you give me money, I come and check things out, then point out what can be done. <<
It would help to having a scoring rubric. A section for physical things like ramps and grab bars, then inside that a checklist for individual items. A section for pyschological stuff like whether the staff have trauma-aware training and how overstimulating the place could be. A section for extra facilities like if they have a quiet room.
>> Or, if you want to convince your local whatever to be more accessible, you hire me and I come and explain why being accessible makes you more awesome. <<
That would be terrific, especially if you could codify some of the stuff into handouts on the benefits of diversity and how to improve it.
>> Hopefully I'd be able to charge large corporations an arm and a leg and consult with nonprofits and public schools and individuals who don't have ridiculous amounts of resources for no charge. <<
Yes, you can make a sliding scale. Many nonprofits do that.
>> But that's not a job that exists. <<
Neither was slaughterhouse animal comfort consultant, until an autistic woman invented it. Now her work makes slaughterhouses safer and more efficient for humans, and less stressful for animals. Because she thinks like a cow. It is really all about figuring out what you do well, and then monetizing that. Look for a problem people are having that you can solve.
>> And I'd need to learn more. Some of it is stuff I can figure out, like what angles you need for a really accessible ramp for wheelchairs, and other stuff I don't even know is a thing yet. <<
Much of it is stuff you could learn on the job, too. Start doing this as volunteer work until you feel confident about it. Frex, the obvious starting point would be the benefit lecture. That doesn't require detailed knowledge of hardware yet, it's all sociology. While building your network and public speaking skills on that, you could contact people with handicaps and organizations that serve them to learn more of the details. Then when you know more, start charging.
>>And I don't want to be self-employed at all.<<
That's a serious limitation. Hmmm ...
One option would be attaching yourself to a charity or nonprofit that serves people with disabilities.
There are also architects who build or renovate homes for disabled people, particularly veterans. Check out these lovely examples:
http://www.stantonhomes.com/specialadaptedhousing.aspx
Maybe a company that does adaptive equipment or facilities would like to hire you as a consultant. Or maybe they already have a similar job that you would like and could train for.