UBC SEEDS Sustainability Program: Universal Change Rooms Programming and Policy

Abstract

Background: The objective of the SEEDS research project was to acquire feedback from UBC students, faculty, staff, and surrounding community about the Life Building's universal change rooms. Purpose: To inform UBC’s Recreation team on how to best communicate about existing universal change rooms and what can be done to encourage future use. Methods: Participants were recruited from posters placed around the UBC Life Building and Woodward Instructional Resources Centre. Participating individuals were able to complete an online survey, and/or engage in open house in-person interviews regarding their experiences with universal change rooms. Results: The findings suggest that the UBC community approaches the use of universal change rooms with mostly positive or neutral views. Any criticisms expressed by participants often stemmed from miscommunication about the use, function and purpose of universal change rooms. Responses expressed concern with mixed gendered use of change rooms, and perceptions surrounding the facilities stigmatized use by certain marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community. Conclusion: It is suggested that the UBC Recreation team utilize methods such as personalized email and accessible website information to practice more effective knowledge translation to the public. These methods should be accessible and informative, featuring information such as the universal change room’s location, functions, purpose behind its implementation, and privacy rules. These strategies are expected to increase and improve awareness, perception, and use of universal change rooms by UBC students, faculty, staff and surrounding UBC community.