Voice of Albertans with Disabilities (VAD) has started a social media campaign which will run until November 5 to increase awareness about this year’s Annual Accessible Driver Appreciation Week the second week of November. We’ve created social media messages that we’ll be sharing across our Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In and are emailing to request your support in sharing these messages as well.

 

This year Accessible Driver Appreciation Week runs from November 5 to 11, 2023. The hope is that in showing appreciation towards our drivers, and making noise surrounding accessible transportation, that we will be able to increase awareness. Increased awareness about the need for appreciation of accessible transportation will help us move towards advocating for increases in funding, driver training, and an overall improved service.

 

This campaign is hoping to plant the seeds of appreciation, and encourage patrons, organizations, and truly any Albertan using Accessible Transportation, to consider thanking their drivers. The campaign hashtags are:

#AccessibleTransportation

#AccessibleDriverAppreciation

 

We are hoping to create a dialogue with organizations about what they appreciate most about working with Accessible Transportation and the Drivers that support them!

 

Here’s how we hope you can help support this campaign:

  • Let your team members know about the campaign, and ask them to share #AccessibleTransportation or #AccessibleDriverAppreciation using the campaign hashtags. We’d love to collect different perspectives and positive experiences!
  • Share our campaign posts on your social accounts. There are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts we shared today from the VAD accounts. If it’s easiest for you, please just hit “Retweet” or “Share” on Twitter and Facebook, or share to your Story on LinkedIn.

 

Ways to get involved:

  1. Display posters below– make copies and hang it in your offices or where seen by the public.
  2. Print and hand out stickers to people who use accessible transport or those who come in contact with drivers and dispatchers.
  3. Share the poster on social media along with a shout out to those making accessible transportation possible.
  4. Take and share pictures on social media with the hashtag #AccessibleTransportation or #AccessibleDriverAppreciation.
  5. Provide coffee and/or treats for the drivers during the week – pick a day to promote the event.
  6. Encourage your clients to let their drivers know that their services are much appreciated – provide Thank You cards for patrons to sign.
  7. Ask your local government official for a proclamation about Accessible Driver Appreciation Week, a sample is available for copying on the website.
  8. Send a NEWS RELEASE to local news outlets for inclusion about your event.

Thank you for your consideration and for your support, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, 780-488-9088.

 

 

Sample Proclamation

 WHEREAS accessible drivers and dispatchers in the community is an essential part of the Alberta spirit, and

WHEREAS it is even more in evidence that Alberta’s greatest natural resource is its people, and

WHEREAS accessibility drivers and dispatchers show every day through their actions that they truly care about their communities and the people who live in them, and

WHEREAS the persons with disabilities are increasingly recognized as a vital component in building strong communities, and

WHEREAS we continue to rely on the efforts of accessible drivers and dispatchers to assist those who live with a disability to enrich our community and our province,

THEREFORE let us honor and thank those accessible drivers and dispatchers in our community who share their time, energy, knowledge, and abilities by proclaiming November 6 – 12, 2022, Accessible Driver Appreciation Week in (town/city). In so doing, I, (Name & Title) call upon all citizens to acknowledge the vital role our accessibility drivers and dispatchers play within our community.

 

(signature, date)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

 

<Contact Name>

<Title>

<Organization Name>

<Phone Number>

<Cell Number>

<E-mail>

 

For Immediate Release:

 

<Organization Name> Celebrates Annual Accessible Driver Appreciation Week

 

<Organization Name> will show their appreciation for accessibility drivers and dispatchers during Annual Accessible Driver Appreciation Week on <day, date and time>. The appreciation, which will be held at <location>, is to celebrate the people who drive and schedule accessible transportation and let them know that they are appreciated.

 

It is through the daily work of Accessible Drivers and Dispatchers that many people are able to live, work and play in our communities on a daily basis.  This event will thank drivers and dispatchers for their welcoming manner, professional driving skills, and the organization of complicated scheduling demands.

 

The work of accessible drivers and dispatchers is essential to support the full participation of persons with disabilities in society.

 

Accessible Driver Appreciation Week is a great opportunity for individuals with lived experience to show our community what an indispensable and necessary service these individuals provide.

 

For more information about this event, contact <name> at (XXX) XXX-XXXX. For more information about <Organization name>, visit <URL>.

 

###

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sample post for Instagram and Facebook:

  • Annual Accessible Driver Appreciation Week – second week of November, November 5-11, 2023.Please let the people who drive and schedule accessible transportation know they are appreciated. It is through their daily work that many people get to live, work and play in our communities. Thank you for your welcoming manner, your professional driving skills, and your organization of complicated scheduling demands. Your work is essential to support the full participation of persons with disabilities in society. #AccessibleTransportation

 

Sample posts for Twitter:

  • Accessibility Drivers & Dispatchers: Thank you for your welcoming manner, your professional driving skills & organizing of complicated schedules. Your work is essential to support the full participation of persons with disabilities in society. #AccessibleTransportation

 

  • Accessible Driver Appreciation Week – second week of November. Let the people who drive & schedule accessible transportation know they’re appreciated. It’s through their daily work that people with disabilities get to live, work and play in our communities. #AccessibleTransportation
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