Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Audit

We want to update our website to more fully comply with WCAG 2.2 as part of our efforts to broaden our organization's accessibility. We have over 20 pages of information, links, and images that we would like to be assessed for compliance, and any shortcomings specifically identified so that we can update, correct, or adjust to be in compliance. It would be great if the person has lived experience using web accessibility features to ensure we're not only compliant but also using best practices for website accessibility.

We are a community mediation center in Chicago that provides free mediation services to any Cook County resident. Last year we received over 2,000 referrals and held over 1,200 mediations. We strive to make our services accessible to all, including by securing interpreters for non-English speaking mediation participants, Zoom mediations for those who cannot travel to our office, space at our office for mediation participants who need to borrow a laptop for a Zoom mediation, and ensuring our staff and mediators are engaged in trainings covering trauma-informed, trans-affirming, and anti-racism care. And we want to keep expanding our accessibility! Ensuring more people can access our website, whether they're using a screen reader, need single-click navigation, or alternative text, means ensuring more people in our community can access free conflict resolution and mediation services. Help us provide more people with affordable, non-court, and restorative conflict resolution alternatives!

Our team began this work as part of broader accessibility work for our staff, volunteers, and clients, but we ran into an issue with the amount of time we have available and the amount of time needed to do a thorough and accurate assessment. We also realized that while our staff is committed to this work, we do not currently have anyone who uses web accessibility features regularly, and would benefit from having someone who is more familiar (preferably with lived experience) take a look. We are in the midst of re-writing the website written content to reflect Plain Language, using Readable Pro, as well as educating members on how to make the necessary changes of our website in Wix (such as how to add image descriptions, for example). Once we have a clear list of items that need updated/adjusted from the volunteer's audit, we will then be able to clearly identify (and take action on) the items we can take care of ourselves vs. items that we may need further help with. Improving accessibility is a key plank in CCR's organizational plan, and we have buy-in from staff, Board and volunteers to implement this work.