Enhancing Yas Island Accessibility For People Of Determination And The Elderly

The Department of Community Development - Abu Dhabi (DCD) and Aldar Properties have conducted a Beneficiary Journey Assessment for People of Determination and senior citizens on Yas Island. This initiative aimed to evaluate the accessibility and inclusivity of facilities and services on the island.

Dr. Layla Abdulaziz Al Hyas, Executive Director of the Community Development Sector at DCD, stated, "We are committed to providing an inclusive environment that allows people of determination and the senior citizens and residents access to all facilities and services with ease and comfort." She highlighted that this evaluation is crucial for enhancing social participation among these groups.

The assessment is part of the Inclusive City Project, which aims to create an accessible environment for everyone. The project focuses on ensuring easy access to facilities, services, and products for individuals regardless of their abilities. The evaluation specifically targeted senior citizens and individuals with various disabilities, including physical, visual, hearing, intellectual disabilities, and autism.

Salwa Al Maflahi, Group Director of Sustainability and Social Responsibility at Aldar Properties, remarked, "At Aldar, we strive to create places that are inclusive and accessible to all." She added that their partnership with DCD aims to understand how inclusive cities can be created and provide a roadmap for achieving this goal.

The assessment included visits to key facilities on Yas Island using taxis as the primary transportation mode. The beneficiaries visited locations such as the W Hotel, Yas Mall's Carrefour store, FIT gym, restaurants, Vox cinema, mosque, and Aldar Properties customer service offices. This journey aimed to evaluate the status of these facilities in terms of accessibility.

An initiative will also be conducted in cooperation with the Department of Municipalities and Transport. This will involve auditing how accessible various facilities on Yas Island are for People of Determination and senior citizens. The Universal Access Rating System framework developed by the Department will be piloted as part of this effort.

Feedback Collection

DCD aims to gather feedback from beneficiaries to identify areas needing improvement. This feedback will help analyse their lived experiences and pinpoint challenges they face. The goal is to provide recommendations that enhance accessibility and inclusion while promoting international best practices in designing inclusive services.

The findings from this assessment will guide strategic planning for the continuous development of the Inclusive City project. This ensures future initiatives align with the needs and preferences of beneficiaries based on real-life experiences.

Public Engagement

The evaluation also emphasises public engagement through media and social media platforms. This aims to raise awareness about ongoing efforts to create an inclusive city. Additionally, it seeks to establish a solid foundation for future planning and development grounded in beneficiaries' real-life experiences.

This comprehensive approach ensures that initiatives are based on actual data from beneficiaries' experiences. It helps identify successful examples that can serve as models for other regions aiming to improve accessibility standards.

The Universal Access Rating System allows for a thorough assessment of accessibility standards for facilities and public places. The findings will guide the establishment, planning, and future development phases of the Inclusive City Project for People of Determination and senior citizens.

This initiative represents a significant step towards achieving an inclusive environment where everyone can access facilities comfortably. By implementing recommendations derived from this evaluation in cooperation with relevant government agencies and Aldar Properties, DCD aims to enhance accessibility across Abu Dhabi.

With inputs from WAM