Sunflower Lanyard Scheme
Let's talk about this great initiative!
The Sunflower Lanyard scheme, have you heard of it?
The bright green lanyard with yellow sunflowers on it, represents people with non-visible disabilities. The Sunflower Lanyard Scheme plays a crucial role in raising awareness of non-visible disabilities such as autism, chronic illnesses, sensory disabilities and more. By providing a discreet yet recognisable signal, it empowers individuals to advocate for their needs while encouraging staff training and public awareness.
I love my Sunflower Lanyard. It makes me feel like I am better understood. It speaks for me to those who know about it, so I don’t have to. I find this lanyard particularly beneficial when travelling with my Guide Dog, where many people assume that I am training her. It helps to indicate to them, that I am in fact the handler and I have a non-visible disability.
In my experience, where disabilities can’t be obviously seen they can be overlooked or the person with the disability can find their needs dismissed. This presents many challenges for the individual and the impact can be significant, affecting their mental health, independence and overall well-being.
Without appropriate support they may face increased anxiety and frustration in public places, workplaces, transport systems and more.
If you’re a business or organisation hosting an event, I highly recommend that you have these available for attendees who might like to wear one. It’ll help your employees identify those who might need extra assistance easily and allow the person with disability to feel safer in the environment. Purchase some Sunflower Lanyards from their website, link here.
Take this a step further and ensure that there is at least one designated person checking for accessibility requirements in the lead up to an event. This is crucial to ensure that all participants have the best experience possible and are included in all the activities you have on offer. Making things accessible for people with disability isn’t hard, it just requires some thought. Promoting inclusive environments ensures that everyone receives the support, dignity and respect that they deserve.
Not sure where to start? Hire a Disability, Access and Inclusion Consultant through Inclusive Consulting today. Click the link here to book a free 15 minute consultation with us to discuss your brief, goals and objectives.
Building an authentically inclusive and accessible environment can feel overwhelming if you’re not sure how but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Engaging a disability-led business like Inclusive Consulting is a great first step. We bring expert insights from both professional and lived experience, tailored strategies and practical solutions to sure that you hit the mark with access and inclusion.
'Non-Visible' Disability
Inclusive Language, why does it matter?
Inclusive language is crucial for appropriate communication with your staff, community members and stakeholders. Staying up to date with the latest terms will help maintain trust, respect and a strong cultural ethos with the people you work with every day.
As an example, I can break down the possible perceptions below to offer further clarity on why the outdated terms might offend people with non-visible disability.
'Hidden', could allude to a person wanting to conceal or hide their disability. It feeds into the negative bias that a large portion of society hold about people with disability or disability in general. As a community, we want to be seen and to celebrate our differences. We want our skills and talents to be recognised, rather than the assumptions of what we're capable of in society's eyes.
'Invisible', could be perceived as implying that the disability does not exist and thus dismissing the individual's lived experience. It also shares the same perceptions around societies limiting beliefs around disability and that people with disability should not be seen or heard.
The way you use language is a choice, be mindful when communicating. Using inclusive language isn’t about being politically correct, it’s about creating a safe environment for the person or people you’re speaking to.
In support of this sentiment, we also understand and appreciate that everyone’s identity and how they choose to use language in relation to themselves and their disability or experience, is theirs and theirs alone. Reference this blog post for guidance of current best practice Inclusive Language.
