How Can Schools and Students Volunteer?

Students and schools can play an important role in building a Disability Pride Parade that is inclusive, welcoming, accessible, creative, and joyful.

Disabled and nondisabled students are encouraged to volunteer, create, lead, perform, and participate together. Schools can volunteer as groups, and students can contribute through accessibility, arts and culture, disability history, community engagement, social media, performances, and other roles throughout the Parade.

Students interested in accessibility can help participants find information and access supports, help keep accessible pathways clear, and identify barriers for the accessibility team.

Students should offer assistance rather than assume it is needed, respect each person’s independence and choices, and ask before providing individual assistance.

How Can Schools and Students Get Involved?

• School Volunteer Teams: Come as a school, class, club, student organization, or team and volunteer together.

• Youth Leaders: Disabled and nondisabled students can share ideas, take leadership roles, and help shape activities and elements of the Parade.

• Creative and Cultural Volunteers: Create art and signs, perform, dance, make music, contribute cultural activities, or help bring the “Together We Build!” themed blocks to life.

• Disability History and Storytelling: Help share disability history and culture and create opportunities for students to learn from disability community leaders and different generations.

• Accessibility Volunteers: Help support an accessible Parade by providing information, helping keep accessible routes clear, and connecting participants with access supports.

• Welcome and Community Engagement Volunteers: Welcome Parade participants and spectators, provide information, and help create a joyful and welcoming environment.

• Social Media, Photography, and Communications Volunteers: Help document and share the Parade using accessible practices, including captions and alt text.

What Are the Different Accessibility Roles?

Access Guides

Welcome participants, provide directions and accessible information, and help people locate Parade blocks, seating, rest areas, restrooms, transportation locations, and other resources.

Access Information Volunteers

Staff accessibility information areas, provide accessible maps and information, answer questions, and connect participants with members of the accessibility team.

ASL and Language Access Volunteers

Qualified ASL interpreters and multilingual volunteers can support communication access. Students who are learning ASL should not be presented as interpreters unless appropriately qualified, but can participate in other Deaf and hard-of-hearing access activities as appropriate.

Seating and Rest Area Volunteers

Help keep accessible seating and rest areas available and organized, provide information, and help participants locate water, Quiet Areas, and other resources.

Mobility and Route Access Volunteers

Help monitor ramps and accessible pathways, keep routes clear, and identify physical barriers for the accessibility team.

Volunteers should not push wheelchairs, physically guide participants, or provide other personal mobility assistance unless the participant requests assistance and the volunteer is appropriately prepared to provide it.

Access Monitors

Watch for physical, communication, sensory, or other access barriers and report them to the appropriate accessibility or event team so they can be addressed.

Students with disabilities and students with lived experience of access barriers are especially encouraged to help shape and participate in accessibility work.

Event Timeline

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Line-Up & Gathering — Madison Square Park

• Access Guides: Welcome participants, provide directions, and help people find their Parade blocks and other locations.

• Access Information Volunteers: Provide accessibility information and maps and answer questions.

• Mobility and Route Access Volunteers: Help keep accessible routes and pathways clear and provide directions to designated Access-A-Ride and other transportation locations.

• Welcome Volunteers: Greet participants and help create an energetic and welcoming start to the day.

• Creative and Student Volunteers: Help with art, signs, themed activities, performances, dancing, and other activities while groups gather for the Parade.

11:00 AM | Parade Kickoff

Route: Madison Square Park → Broadway → Union Square Park

• Access Guides: Provide information and support wayfinding along the Parade route.

• Mobility and Route Access Volunteers: Help keep accessible pathways clear.

• Access Monitors: Identify barriers and communicate them quickly to the appropriate event team.

• School and Student Groups: March, volunteer, perform, participate in themed blocks, and help bring energy and Disability Pride to the Parade.

12:00 PM | Disability Pride Block Party — Union Square Park

• Seating and Rest Area Volunteers: Help maintain accessible seating and rest areas and connect people with water and other resources.

• ASL and Language Access Volunteers: Help support communication access during activities.

• Access Guides: Provide information about activities, rest areas, restrooms, Quiet Areas, exits, and other resources.

• Creative and Cultural Volunteers: Help with art, performances, interactive activities, dancing, and cultural programming.

• Welcome and Community Engagement Volunteers: Welcome participants and help people connect with activities and organizations.

12:10 PM | Remarks & Spotlights — Union Square Park

• ASL and Language Access Volunteers: Help support communication access during remarks and announcements.

• Access Monitors: Help identify access barriers around the stage, seating, and gathering areas.

• Student Media Volunteers: Help document remarks, interviews, and community stories using accessible social media practices.

12:40 PM – 3:00 PM | Performances & Community Engagement — Union Square Park

• Seating and Rest Area Volunteers: Continue helping maintain seating and rest areas.

• Access Guides: Provide information and directions to activities, exits, restrooms, Quiet Areas, and other resources.

• Access Monitors: Help ensure accessible routes and spaces remain clear.

• Creative and Performance Volunteers: Dance, perform, create art, and help lead participatory activities.

• Community Engagement Volunteers: Welcome participants, connect people with organizations and activities, and help build community throughout the Block Party.

Access for Student Volunteers

Students with disabilities are encouraged to participate and lead in every area—not only in accessibility roles.

Schools and students should let us know about access needs when registering. Volunteer opportunities can include seated roles, shorter shifts, lower-sensory assignments, advance or remote preparation, and other ways of participating.

Students do not need to disclose a disability or explain why they need an access support in order to volunteer.