Support Persons

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person.
Any person who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter the uWaterloo Library's premises with his or her support person.
At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

A support person is someone either hired or chosen to help a person with a disability. A support person can be a personal support worker, a volunteer, a family member or a friend of the person with the disability.
Support persons may provide one or more types of assistance, such as:
- Guiding a person with vision loss
- Interpretation, e.g. ASL/English interpreter
- Personal care assistant
- Support person in the event of a seizure

Speak to and look directly at the person with the disability even though the message is coming from the support person.
A person with a disability may not always introduce his or her support person. If you are not sure, it is appropriate to ask, "Is this your support person?"

For events requiring registration, only the user attending the event is required to register. Support persons are welcome to attend, but will not be counted as part of the attendance.
- Note: When available space is a concern, consider inviting attendees to advise you of attendance of a support person.
Plan for the presence of support persons; for example, help facilitate the interpreting process by reserving seats for persons who are deaf and by allocating space near presenters for interpreters.
Where possible, provide written materials both to the person with the disability and to the support person.

Department Head, Information Services and Resources, Porter

Library Associate/Coordinator, Services for Persons with Disabilities
June 15, 2012

AODA Toolkit • Customer Service Standard