NABS+ is committed to making our events as inclusive as possible. We implement reasonable adjustments as required by attendees and offer extra support to our members to participate in community events. We invite applications to our Access Fund to help support costs that are not covered by our members’ home institutions, and which extend beyond the standard reasonable adjustments already required by law.
Eligibility
The Access Fund can be used by NABS+ Members from an eligible UK Higher Education Institution who will experience extra, access-related, costs associated with attending a NABS+ event. These costs do not include those that a person would normally pay on an ordinary working day.
Types of Support:
We are not prescriptive about the types of things for which our members can apply as we recognise that our members may face different and intersecting barriers to participation. Broadly, we envisage that support requests may fall into the following (non-exhaustive) categories:
Care
Where caring responsibilities prevent members from attending events due to the cost of finding alternative care for dependents.
Travel
Where travel is more expensive due to access needs (e.g. requirements for a taxi, requirements for flexible bookings etc.) Support can be requested to cover travel to a NABS+ event for which the travel arrangements are not already provided by NABS+.
Assistive Technology or Support Aids
Additional IT, interpretation, or support aids beyond which NABS+ could be expected to provide as a reasonable adjustment. This could include specific software on a personal licence to an attendee, costs related to the attendance of a specific support person or animal, or other technological or physical aids. Costs that a person would normally pay on an ordinary working day are not eligible.
General Criteria
All requests should cover reasonable costs and only expenses that are additional to what a person might normally cover on the day(s) of the NABS+ event.
Only one application (which may cover multiple areas) can be made per person per event.
Multiple applications can be made to attend different NABS+ events, but we will prioritise those from new applicants.
We will not normally award more than £250 per person in a single calendar year.
We will not normally consider applications retrospectively.
All expenses claimed and travel bookings made must be consistent with Lancaster University’s travel, expenses, and procurement policies.
Applications
You should complete the appropriate section(s) of the NABS+ Access Fund Application Form and send it to nabs@lancaster.ac.uk 4 weeks prior to the NABS+ event that you aim to attend.
Applications will be treated in confidence and reviewed by two members of the NABS+ team.
Deadlines
We consider applications on a rolling basis and will decide on applications within 2 weeks of receipt.
Payment
For care support and IT accessibility, payment is normally made after the event through BACS. If you are not a member of Lancaster University, you will be required to submit a Claim Form and proof of receipts of expenditure to nabs@lancaster.ac.uk . If you are a member of Lancaster University, you should submit your claim through the Agresso portal.
For travel support, bookings will usually be made for the applicant by the NABS+ team at Lancaster University. Travel details including tickets will be sent to the applicant via email.
If waiting for payment until after an event will prevent you from attending, please contact nabs@lancaster.ac.uk