Accessibility and c3auti

For the most important info in plain English visit the blogpost.

Need acute help? Please visit help.ccc.de

📞 2884: General Questions can best be answered by QuietQube Helpdesk.
📞 1199: For more specialised accessibility needs, you may also call Auti Coordination.

In general: For a lot of physical disabilities, this year's Congress will be more accessible than ever. The Congress Center Hamburg is newly renovated and up to code. There are good toilets, guidance systems for the blind and visually impaired, induction loops for hearing aids at stages and everything (including stages) should be fully wheelchair accessible.

More info on the centre's accessibility on its website.

For everything Chaos-made, these will be your points of contact:

Important Facilities

These facilities will help with accessibility:

• CERT for medical care
  • can store medication in need of refrigeration
• Awareness for help against discrimination
• QuietQube by c3auti (continue reading)

QuietQube Helpdesk

Our helpdesk will provide you with information on accessibility. It is located inside the QuietQube. If you need some assistance on a small personal quest, the helpdesk may be able to provide a helping hand. However: if you foresee the need for a personal assistant, please bring your own.

The helpdesk is also a place for finding some social support and guidance for autistic creatures.

Hidden Disability Badges

Right next to the helpdesk, you can assemble a hidden disabilities badge. It is made to be compatible with your angel badge (you can glue them together). Your hidden disabilities badge has room for some pre-made stickers (such as "sign with me" or "no flirting") and room for writing down notes/instructions. It can also be folded and flipped in case some disability info does not require being on display all the time.

You can also get stickers to inform others that you need to skip long queues or use priority seating at stages. (And in many cases, asking politely will likely get you those "benefits" as well.)

Silent Room

Unlike QuietQube, which is also meant for socialising, Silent Room will be a place just for resting. For operational reasons, the location of this room will only be given to people that need it. Infodesk, Awareness and QuietQube Helpdesk will provide directions to anyone that may want to use that room. Helpdesk can also guide you to the room in person or help you memorise a route.

Meltdown Room

Unfortunately, we cannot offer a dedicated meltdown room this year due to last minute space constraints. If you need a spot to to rage, cry or scream at a wall, we will do our best to allocate something. When you have a meltdown, please call 1199 (DECT) or ask QuetQube Helpdesk, Awareness or Infodesk to call us.

If you want to prepare for a meltdown, you can get communication aids at QuietQube Helpdesk. You can also give us a heads up on any special treatement you may need in this case.

It is very unikely we will be able to find a permanent solution.

Quiet Qube

All creatures that enjoy quiet socialising are welcome here. We have tables and seating meant for quiet interactions, and places meant for silent coexistence. You can also find support and communication aids at our Helpdesk.

To help all be excellent to each other, we ask you to respect the Quiet Qube Code of Conduct.

Assistants and Assistant Dogs

Bring them. Please also provide an ID card, if you want to bring an assistant.

Lecture halls and accessibility

There are seats for people with disabilities and special needs in the lecture halls. Please leave them free or give them to people who need them.

As the needs are very different, they are scattered throughout the halls.

Hall 1

• front: row 1 seat 10, row 1b seat 11, row 19 seats 16 and 17
• center: row 20 seats 17 and 16
• upper level: row 30 seat 25, row 35 seats 23 and 24, row 35 seats 33 and 34

Hall E

• Row 2, 2 seats to the right of the center aisle
• Row 4, by the door
• Row 5, by the door
• last row, 2 seats on the far left

Hall Granville

• last 2 rows left and right near the door (it’s busy there!)
• middle area, first row 2× left, 2× right
• middle area, last row, directly in front of the camera (it is rather quiet there and must also be occupied by someone who will be quiet)

Hall Zuse

• Row 25, seats 30 and 1, far back (in front of the technical equipment) far left and far right
• Row 12, seats 33 and 34, directly next to the door on the right, no stairs
• Row 12, seats 22 and 23, no stairs
• Row 1, seats 31 and 32 (right, front) and 13 (left, front), no steps

Broadcasting Center (Sendezentrum)

• 1st row, counted from left to right 8 and 10
• 2nd row, directly at the door
• 3rd row, directly at the door
• last row, 2 seats to the left of the door

Wheelchair spaces

There are places for wheelchair users and accompanying persons in the lecture halls.

• in Hall 1 there are 6 seats directly at the door “Parquet left”
• in Hall D there are 2 seats to the right of the door
• in Hall Granville there are 4 individual seats to the right of the left and right aisle
• in Hall Zuse there are 3 seats next to the right door
• in the Broadcasting Center (Sendezentrum) there are 2 seats to the right of the door

Barriers to expect

This is meant to point out some barriers that you may not expect in other circumstances, but may run into at Congress. You can help reduce the list by volunteering and expand the list by contacting us via mail to tell us about barriers 1. Noise and Lights Congress will be overwhelming and over-stimulating. It is advised to bring ANC Headphones and maybe sunglasses if you are easily overstimulated. 2. Strobe Lights Lounge will use 20 Hz Strobe Lights, so avoid that area if you are at risk of having photoepileptic seizures. Art and Play installations will not use strobing lights. Many community members will build a lot of things, so be careful and don't hesitate to ask for overly intense light installations to be tuned down. 2. Sign language and "simple German" We cannot offer translations to sign language or "simple German". 3. Community Projects A lot of what is provided at the event is made by wonderful enthusiasts, that will very likely not follow code consistently.