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Website Accessibility Statement

At Voluntary Action Sheffield, we know that accessibility isn’t just a tick-box exercise—it’s an essential part of building online spaces that work for everyone. From the first ideas to the final website launch, we put people at the heart of everything we create.

We want to make our content as accessible as possible by ensuring our websites and digital tools are welcoming, inclusive, and easy to use. To do this, we stay up to date with the latest accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), and are always looking for ways to improve.

Addressing Different needs

Accessibility isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different groups have different needs, and we’re here to find the balance that works. For instance, what helps dyslexic users might not work as well for someone with temporary visual impairment—but we’ll always aim for solutions that feel inclusive for as many people as possible.

We also use the POUR principles to guide us. This means creating websites that are:

  • Perceivable: Easy to see, hear, or interact with.
  • Operable: Usable by everyone, whether they’re using a keyboard, mouse, or screen reader.
  • Understandable: Intuitive and straightforward to navigate.
  • Robust: Built to work across devices and assistive technologies.

Accessibility isn’t just about permanent disabilities—it touches on everyone’s experiences:

  • Temporary impairments: Like using your phone one-handed while carrying a baby.
  • Situational challenges: Like trying to use a website on a sunny day outdoors.
  • Progressive changes: Like age-related challenges with vision or dexterity.
  • Permanent disabilities: Like blindness, or mobility issues.

 

We think about accessibility right from the start. When we create user personas, we include real voices and insights from people with different needs.

How We Achieve Accessibility

  • Our website development partner, In The Margins, follow best practices in design and development, including the use of semantic HTML and ARIA landmarks.
  • Provide alternative formats for multimedia content, such as transcripts for audio and video.
  • Ensure text size can be adjusted, and the website remains usable on a variety of devices and screen sizes.

How Accessible Is This Website

While we work hard to meet accessibility standards, some parts of our website may not yet be fully accessible. These might include:

    • Older documents or PDF files that are not fully optimised for assistive technologies.
    • Third-party content and tools embedded in our site, which may not fully meet accessibility guidelines.
    • Some of the colours used on parts of the website does not meet colour contrast WGAC AA guidelines in every case. 

If You’re Struggling to Access Something

Need information in a different format, like large print, braille, or audio? Get in touch at info@vas.org.uk or call us. We’ll do our best to help and aim to respond within 7 days.

Feedback and Improvements

Tools like WAVE by WebAIM and contrast checkers have been used to evaluate our website. But the best feedback comes from you. If you spot something we can improve, let us know at info@vas.org.uk.