The type of event you host depends on who your partners are, and what types of devices local people with disabilities need. Over the past few years, Makers Making Change has hosted over 150 events, and has developed instructions and best practices for how to run events. When you are planning your first event reach out to your Regional Coordinator to work through the steps and get support.
In the Event Detail doc there will be links to best practices for in person vs online events. Through networking, you will become aware of several disability organizations that can tell you which devices in our assistive device library would be most useful to clients.
Below is a list of devices we have run as events and examples of other chapters’ new events.
The devices that have been built at events are: Raindrop Switch, Light Touch Switch, MMC60 Round Flexure Switch, Dice Spinner, Toy Hack, and the LipSync.
Protoyping New Events
If you have a disability partner and they want a new device we have not run as an event, feel free to prototype a new type of event! We can help you create step by step instructions, write a tools and materials list, a cost estimate and share what you learned so other chapters can benefit!
Examples of New Events Prototyped by Chapters
- The Memory Loss Music Box (Mary Elliot – Bellingham, WA)
- A Virtual Solderless Toy Hack (Matt Levac – Phoenix, AZ)
- A Makey Makey Workshop for Physical Therapy Exercises (Katie Butzu and Mark Lyons – Bay City, MI)
To help support everyone with hosting a build event please review our build event playbooks for both in person and online best practices. If you have any questions or want to walk through planning your first event please reach out to your Regional Coordinator.
REMEMBER: Your Regional Coordinator is always here to provide help.
