Duties of the City of Helsinki’s accessibility ombudsman

  • Coordination, implementation and monitoring of the City of Helsinki’s accessibility policies in cooperation with the divisions and municipal enterprises: inclusion of the accessibility policies into the normal operations of the divisions and municipal enterprises.
  • Participation in the creation of city-level guidelines. 
  • Inclusion of the accessibility aspect into statements on the entire City or the Urban Environment Division.
  • The project director of the Urban Environment Division’s Premises Services will direct the design of buildings with the representative of the user division’s premises services. The accessibility ombudsman will review the plans (at least those for special-level sites before a project plan is submitted for decision-making).  
  • Information retrieval and distributions regarding accessible planning solutions that are found to be useful.
  • Arranging training on accessibility in the Urban Environment Division and other divisions together with various divisions as well as disability and senior citizens’ organisations.
  • Serving as an accessibility expert in various projects carried out by the Urban Environment Division and other divisions. Discussing challenges that have been identified and their potential solutions with the divisions.
  • Providing guidance and advice to the divisions, private sector and residents on matters pertaining to accessibility.
  • Representing Helsinki in the EU Eurocities network’s Barrier Free Cities working group, as well as the cooperation network of accessible Nordic capital cities and municipal accessibility ombudsmen.
  • Developing and maintaining a permanent exhibition area for accessibility products, Esteri, together with the companies showcasing their products in the area.
  • Stakeholder collaboration in connection to accessibility (ministries, organisations, resident associations, etc.).
  • Maintaining and developing the Helsinki for All website. 
  • Serving as a member of the Council on Disability, the Elderly Citizens Council.