Communicating With Users and Clinicians

Disability Awareness 

We recognize you may not yet have experience working with people with disabilities, so here are some general tips and links to other resources if you’d like to learn more: use people-first language (ex: “person with a disability”, not “disabled person”); be patient in communications since people with disabilities may require more time than someone without disabilities; and do not be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure about anything. 

Communication 

You will have questions for the requestor and need to contact them through our website. Please be patient with communications, as people with disabilities may face extra barriers to digital access and may take longer to get back to your questions than you are used to. 

You can quickly update the requestor on the status of the build by changing it on the website as you progress. 

Tagging 

When messaging with the requestor, sometimes they won’t get notifications for new updates on a build, so try tagging them with the @ symbol along with their username to ensure they get notified and see your message! You can find the requesters @ name by clicking on your profile and looking at your "my requests and builds".

Chat Visibility 

Maker Wanted – Any updates you post on a device you are building for someone are private. These can only be viewed by you, the requestor, and MMC staff. 

Design Challenges – All information on the Design Challenge posts is public. All users can view this information. Avoid sharing private information on these forums, especially anyone else’s personal information. 

Privacy  

You may want to share your experience building or designing a device for someone with others. Do not share any personal information without first getting permission from the other people involved. Remember, anything they share with you is considered private unless they give you permission to share it. 

Please see our Privacy Policy if you have any questions about how MMC stores and uses personal information.

Timeline 

Communicate with the requestor about how long you expect it to take to make the device. If you experience delays during the process, keep them updated. 

Get Reimbursed 

Before ordering parts, send the requestor an estimate of the costs of materials and shipping so you are both on the same page, and ensure they want to continue with the request. 

After building the device, send the requestor the final cost, and coordinate how they will reimburse you for the material and shipping costs. We recommend using Interac e-Transfer, PayPal, or Venmo so only an email or user handle is exchanged.  

Customizations 

Device Requests – Communicate with the requestor about how you can customize the device for them. Look in the Maker Guide at the Customization Guide; sometimes a device can be 3D printed in different colours or has a few options for sizes! 

Design Challenges – New designs provide the opportunity for even more customizations to make sure the device fits the user’s needs. Talk to the requestor about different options. 

Adapted Toys 

If the request is for an adapted toy, keep in mind that toy availability changes often, and the toy requested may not be available. In that case, ask the requestor to provide an alternative or describe why they chose that toy. For example, if the goal is to have a toy that lights up, or a toy that makes noise, then you can use that goal to suggest a different suitable toy. 

Keep the Requestor Informed 

You can keep the requestor informed by messaging them with updates, and by updating the stage of the request. Let them know the expected timeline, and update if anything changes. 

If you are no longer able to complete the request, you can go to the request under your profile and Withdraw as a Maker so that another maker is able to pick up the request. 

Contact Us 

You can always contact us at info@makersmakingchange.com or send us a message if you run into any issues or have any questions. Common issues may include: a requestor not responding to your messages, difficulty getting parts for a device, or questions about the build instructions. 

We may have parts (such as PCBs or other components that need to be ordered in bulk) on-hand which you can purchase from us at-cost to build the device. NOTE: due to funding restrictions, we can only ship parts within Canada.