Author: Deborah Castellanos
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Removing the Barriers You Cannot See
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, watching a perfectly good neighborhood garden project wither away simply because the organizer insisted on a three-page application form for every single bag of compost. We spent more time… Continue reading
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Why Young People Do Not Come to Your Meetings
I remember sitting in a drafty community hall back in ’94, staring at a stack of glossy, expensive brochures about “youth engagement strategies” that had cost a local council a small fortune. They were full of jargon about synergistic outreach,… Continue reading
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Accessibility Beyond a Ramp
I remember sitting in a drafty village hall back in ’94, watching a lovely elderly gentleman hover awkwardly at the threshold because the heavy oak door was bolted shut. We’d spent the whole morning talking about “community engagement,” yet we… Continue reading
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Volunteering With an Access Need
I remember sitting in a drafty community hall back in ’94, listening to a consultant drone on about “inclusive frameworks” and “accessibility paradigms” while a perfectly capable woman with a walker sat in the corner, ignored by everyone. It was… Continue reading
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Recruiting a Committee by Asking Individuals
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall in 1994, watching a local residents’ group completely fall apart because they spent six months trying to hold a “formal town hall” to find leaders. They wanted a grand assembly, a fancy… Continue reading
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Handing Over Without Taking the Knowledge With You
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, watching a perfectly good neighbourhood watch group simply evaporate because the chair decided to move to Devon without so much as a word to the treasurer. There was no… Continue reading
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Local Charities That Help With Bills
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, staring at a stack of glossy, professional-looking brochures from three different national organizations, feeling more lost than when I started. Everyone tells you that finding support is a matter… Continue reading
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The Accountant You Have Delivering Leaflets
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, watching a perfectly capable retired accountant spend three hours untangling a knot of fairy lights because the committee leader thought “everyone should help with everything.” It was a heartbreaking… Continue reading
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When Three People Do Everything
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, watching the chair of the local beautification committee stare blankly at a lukewarm cup of tea. She had spent three years doing the work of five people, and she… Continue reading
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Parking Is Always the Complaint
I remember standing on a street corner in Eastbourne back in ’94, watching three different council contractors argue over a map while the local residents stood on their doorsteps, utterly ignored. They were talking about multi-million pound infrastructure schemes and… Continue reading
