Multitude of Voyces

Our charity includes many contributors and workers with particular accessibility needs, rights or requirements. Our Associate Louise draws on support from those trained in supporting people with accessibility needs to ensure that the charity behaves as  equitably as possible

Supporting those with sight impairment or sight loss:

1. Our website has been specially designed to support people with sight impairment who use AI softwares such as Microsoft Narrator or Job Access with Speech (JAWS). It is designed for accessibility, and tested  using the specialist software Accessibility Insights for Web. Further information can be found at www.w3schools.com/accessibility
2. Some of the lengthy written articles have been recorded so that natural human inflection makes them more enjoyable to listen to than AI ‘voices’. Buttons indicating recorded articles are labelled in large print.
3. Photographs have alt text embedded describing each image and placing it in context. The alt text has been written by our MoV team to ensure that it is relevant to the charity’s own work
4. We provide bespoke .xml files on request for use by musicians who have their own Music Braille software and printers. We do not charge extra for this service
5. We are learning how to make our scores available in Music Braille, with help from the charity RNIB and the non-profit organisation Daisy Collective
6. We are developing an Accessible Music Scores Policy to help us keep up to date with advances which will support our Stakeholders and Supporters
7. Most of our printed octavos and digital pdfs are now available in ‘large-print’ editions. This also helps those with older eyes singing in dimly-lit churches. We have been very pleased to find these have been very popular
8. We use size 14 text as standard on the website, with larger texts where we can
9. We are investing in learning how to work with composers and writers who are blind or who are unable to access a standard music editing process
10. Our Associate, Andrew Stewart, is undertaking training in creating accessible websites to ensure that we continue to learn and implement changes which will enable those with sight impairment to access our website as easily as possible

Supporting those with hearing impairment or hearing loss:

1. Our team includes a professional musician who uses specialised hearing aids
2. We do not use auto play on our website
3. Our own recordings are made by highly-qualified sound-engineers using the best available hardware and software to ensure that the sound is as crisp and clear as possible. Video editing is carried out by highly-skilled professionals who ensure that the audio synchs perfectly with the video
4. Our own videos have captions which provide musical and related information about each recording
5. From July 2025 we will be providing subtitles to our own videos wherever possible, timed to match the musical phrasing of our recordings
6. Our own videos have additional text which provides detailed background to the composition, composer and writer
7. We are happy to use real-time captions when meeting online with people with hearing loss
8. We are happy to use real-time chat to support conversations where it is helpful

Supporting those with neurodiversities: 

1. Our team includes a worker who is dyslexic
2. We take care to learn how best to work with each individual contributor
3. Our Associate Louise uses her professional knowledge of teaching those with dyslexia and co-occurring neurodiversity to help provide specific support to those Stakeholders, Supporters or others, to help them engage with the charity’s work
4. We use sans serif fonts on our website and on our own videos. These can make reading unfamiliar text easier and quicker than reading detailed decorative texts
5. Some of the lengthy written articles will be recorded to alleviate reading fatigue. Buttons indicating recorded articles are labelled in large print
6. Our octavos are printed on cream coloured paper. We are happy to discuss individual requirements of both paper colour and size, and text colour
7. Our online shop enables Supporters to place an order which is followed up by a human being! It might take a little longer for your music to arrive, but we think it more important that you get to speak to or write to someone in person if you need help with your order.
8. We use information technology where it can support our Stakeholders

Supporting those with physical disabilities or hidden disabilities: 

1. Our team includes a worker with a hidden disability. 
2. When organising events we make sure that the venue is accessible to wheelchair users. 
3. We are very happy to meet with Supporters, Stakeholders or Contributors in places which are fully-accessible. 

Supporting younger people and teachers: 

1. Our website has been designed to enable teachers to access the website easily. Simpler vocabulary has been used in main captions or articles wherever possible, with minimal use of acronyms or jargon. 

We are here to learn as well as teach!

Please let us know if there are other ways in which we could  make our work and our resources more accessible. Use the contact link or leave a message on our answerphone at 01722 332621

Note: 

Multitude of Voyces is a very small charity. Developing and adapting our work to make it as accessible as possible comes at an additional cost. If you know of a charity or sponsor who might like to support this area of the charity’s work please contact Louise using the contact link (here) or leave a message on our answerphone at 01722 332621, or, if you are able, make a donation via our Charities Aid Foundation Core Funding page.

Thank you!