Supporting Neurodivergent Individuals

Making your events more accessible for blind & visually impaired people really isn’t as hard as you think. Here are my top tips. 1. Provide precise venue information. Include things like clear drop off and pick up point information, what the key features of the building are, a rough description of where the toilets are, describe where the reception desk is, and let us know in advance if you’ll need a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan completed. Bonus points for using a service like Euan's Guide or AccessAble to provide specialist access information. 2. Provide as much event information as possible. Share all key details in advance, ideally by email in an accessible format. Include timings, speaker names, attendee names, a brief agenda, and any known accessibility considerations. It helps us plan travel, support, and energy levels and it also helps us know who’s attending so when we’re surprised with a “Hey Robbie!” we can narrow it down to who it might be. 3. Food information is key. It sounds simple, but make sure menus are firstly available, then accessible - even for buffets. Relying on a fellow attendee to tell me something “looks chickeney” gives me the absolute fear. Include dietary details in an electronic format we can read with a screen reader, and avoid handwritten or printed-only menus. Tell us how food will be served so we can prepare (for example, buffet vs plated service). 4. Ask about adjustments - don’t assume you’ll know what someone needs. Just ask the question when people register. Keep it open and inclusive, such as “Do you have any access requirements you’d like us to be aware of?” 5. Provide complimentary +1 places as an adjustment - if someone needs a guide, PA, or support worker to attend with them, they shouldn’t be charged double. It’s an inclusion basic that makes a big difference. 6. Finally, provide training to your staff and event volunteers. Organisations like The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and RNIB can help you here with things like sighted guide training. And most importantly - don’t wait until someone asks before you do this. It won’t help just blind people, it’ll help everyone. Think about this list - is there anything on here that genuine would help you as a sighted person? Build accessibility in from the start and everyone benefits. #DisabilityInclusion #Disability #DisabilityEmployment #Adjustments #DiversityAndInclusion #Content

Today is International Day of People with Disabilities. Of course, people with disabilities live with it every single day. However, we need these awareness days to start or make progress with conversations and actions. Here are things you can do to do that. 1. Listen to the voices of people with disabilities. 2. Be yourself. Always. When I start talking to someone who never met me, I see the subtle familiar change on their faces. They change how they talk to me. Some of them — unintentionally, I'm sure — talk to me like I'm 5 or obtuse. The key is to let me see your face and enunciate. Don't speak louder, please. It's easier to ask someone to speak up than say they're too loud. 3. Provide two modern communication options always. Online and in person. 4. Avoid assumptions and ask. Getting me an ASL interpreter without asking will deprive someone else who needs the interpreter. There's a shortage of interpreters. Let's make sure the right people have access to them. 5. Understand one person does not represent an entire disability category. Not all deaf folks sign. Not all deaf folks lipread. Not all deaf folks talk with their mouths and voices. The list goes on. 6. Involve people with disabilities from start to finish and beyond. Pay them for their time. Turning off the sound does not mimic the experience of a person who depends on captioning every day. Refer to No. 4 as companies and product development often make assumptions. 7. Hire qualified people with disabilities. They bring so much to your organization. Data shows that people with disabilities tend to be the most loyal and best workers who bring in more revenue for companies who hire them. The hiring process needs to change. 8. Make progress with accessibility every day. It can be small steps like adding alternative text (image descriptions) to images. Make captions part of your video creation process. 9. Skip using overlays on your website to fix accessibility. This isn't making progress. It's a step backward. 10. Avoid hiring speakers who know little about accessibility and disabilities. Some people with disabilities aren't qualified to speak on these topics. 11. Ensure XR, virtual reality, and augmented reality are accessible. 🔔 Tap the silent profile bell to catch the next post (Wow! 33k!) 👉 Follow hashtag #MerylMots to find all my content ❤️ Like this? Repost and add your thoughts in the comments 📧 Want to work with me? Drop me a line! #Disability #IDPWD #Hiring #Accessibility Image: White generic person figure with a flourish around its top half and International Day of People with Disabilities

Accessibility Strategy for Organizations Just Starting: ➤ Begin with 3 simple accessibility actions each week. ➤ Ensure 1 of them involves feedback from people with disabilities—whether it's testing a product, evaluating a service, or reviewing communications. ➤ Engage with people from the disability community every day—whether online or within your team—listen, learn, and ask for honest feedback. Once you start building momentum: ➤ Scale up to 5-7 actions weekly. ➤ Make 3 or more of them proactive accessibility improvements—like adding captions, improving site navigation, or hosting accessible events. ➤ Keep community engagement and accessibility-related discussions ongoing, just like you’d maintain customer relations or team communication. That’s really all you need to start building an inclusive culture. Remember: Don’t overcomplicate it. Accessibility is a commitment. It’s about making sure everyone can engage fully—your customers, your employees, and your stakeholders. Keep it simple, keep it human, keep it accessible.

Disability rights - are you actually doing it right though? 🤔 How do we get it right? ‘Disability rights’ isn’t just about ramps, bathrooms or writing the word Disability in a diversity statement and calling it a day. We aren’t here to check boxes, we’re here to actually make a difference. The UNCRPD is the first international human rights treaty which identities the rights of Disabled people and the obligations on Parliaments, individuals and organisations to promote, protect and ensure those rights. It is legally binding and sets the minimum standards for rights of people with Disabilities - cementing Disability rights as (say it with me now) ‘human rights not privileges’. So how do we implement effective Disability rights? 1. Consult, don’t Assume: If you think you know what Disabled people need - think again, no dont think - engage with the community, ask, listen, and learn. Effective consultation. 2. Disability rights is more than just a buzzword: positive conscious intent to be proactive not reactive. Taking accountability and responsibility to create sustainable tangible change that ever-evolves. 3. Training and awareness: Disability awareness isn’t a one-time workshop. It’s an ongoing conversation! Regular training and awareness building keeps everyone at the top of their game and empowers Disabled people to declare and advocate, fostering an inclusive culture. 4. Celebrate diversity: Every Disability experience is unique and intersectional. One persons experience is one persons experience. Showcase community diversity with a range of experiences and voices, making sure everyone feels represented. 5. Measure impact: Don’t just implement policies and hope for the best! Gather feedback, assess your progress, and adjust accordingly listening to the feedback of ERG’s, Disability groups and individual experiences. Disability rights are constantly evolving and so should their implementation. 6: Know your stuff: this one seems fairly obvious but you would be surprised! If you dont know your laws, policies and standards, then well, it’s not going to go the best is it. 7: Nothing about us without us: decisions that affect Disabled people should be made with our direct input - duh! 8: Regular reassessment and monitoring: implementing Disability rights is a journey, not a destination - but a journey we have to be doing effectively! Regularly assess and monitor progress, with the intent to creating sustained tangible impact. #DisabilityRights #Inclusion #Accessibility #Disability #Disabled Image description: The image shows an off-black square graphic with 9 colourful boxes in yellow, orange, green, purple, blue and pink. Each of the boxes contain the heading of the points above along with a graphic image depicting the text. In the top left hand corner in bold and white text it reads ‘How to do Disability rights, right?’. On the top right hand side is an image of Celia wearing a white shirt with her hands over her mouth gasping.

This week, I'm excited to be chatting with companies planning to celebrate Employee Disability Awareness Month this October. It's got me thinking about the many ways companies can celebrate Employee Disability Awareness Month and support disabled employees, beyond a designated month. Here are a few ideas: - Hire a disabled speaker with lived experience & pay them (if you are looking for someone, I can make recommendations from my network. Let’s chat!) - Share more information about your accommodations request process so that employees with disabilities feel welcome to make a request and communicate that you want to support them, rather than feeling stuck in their environment that's not set up for their success. By the way, most accommodations are free or very low-cost. - Share more info about your Accessibility-related Employee Resource Group. Don’t have one? Consider starting one. - Leadership trainings on anti-ableism. Most people don't even know what ableism is. - View all your employees as unique humans with various needs that change over their lifetime. Not just “Able-bodied” vs “Disabled”. - Remind employees about the health and well-being benefits you offer. - Improve your work environment and support systems for employees. Flexible policies that reflect that human bodies have various needs and those needs change over time. - It’s best to ask employees what are the barriers that hinder them (pssst, it’s not their disability, it's the working environment/situation) and work with them to try out a reasonable accommodation. Be flexible and willing to try out something new that will not only make things easier for your disabled employees but everyone on your team. Accessible design can benefit everyone. - Avoid using euphemisms and ableist slurs to describe someone’s capabilities: less-abled, differently-abled, handicapped, crippled, impaired, special needs. Disability is the legal term and it’s not a bad word. - Recognize that accessibility progress is better than perfection. Get input from marginalized voices, take one action, get feedback, adjust, repeat. Image is a selfie of Lauren wearing a pink graphic t-shirt with blue words that read "I wanna see feisty disabled people change the world. - Judy Heumann" #employeedisabilityawareness #disability #workplaceaccessibility

Too often, disability inclusion is driven by one champion inside an organization — and the effort stalls when that person changes roles. Or it becomes a box-checking exercise tied to compliance. In 20+ years partnering with brands, government agencies, and universities on inclusive marketing and community engagement, I’ve seen that disability inclusion sticks when it’s woven into both marketing and the customer experience. Here are 3 ways to do that: 1. Co-create with disabled consumers across the journey Invite disabled customers into your research, focus groups, journey mapping, and creative reviews. Clients like AT&T, Bank of America, and Visa did this to stress-test campaigns and experiences. If disabled consumers aren’t in the room, your insights and CX are incomplete. 2. Make accessibility a baseline in every touchpoint Ensure physical and digital access are non-negotiable. That means alt text, captions, readable fonts, color contrast, and screen-reader-friendly layouts — plus accessible events, branches, and service environments. Accessibility should show up wherever a customer meets your brand. 3. Tie inclusion to CX and business KPIs Track engagement, conversion, satisfaction, and sentiment from disabled audiences. Build inclusive requirements into briefs, CX standards, partner agreements, and performance reviews so teams are accountable for outcomes, not just intentions. Providing an exceptional and consistent customer experience is the chef's kiss for our community. When disability inclusion is treated as core strategy — not compliance — you build trust, improve customer experience, and drive growth. #DisabilityInclusion #InclusiveMarketing #CustomerExperience #EquityInAction

Facilitating Inclusive Hiring for People with Disabilities: A Guide to Enriching Your Workforce In today's rapidly evolving workplace, fostering an inclusive hiring process is paramount. This approach not only enhances the company culture but also drives innovation by incorporating diverse perspectives. Specifically, facilitating inclusive hiring for people with disabilities remains a critical area for development and improvement. 1. Rewrite Your Job Descriptions: The first step towards an inclusive hiring process involves reassessing your job descriptions. Use clear, unbiased language that focuses on the essential functions of the job. Avoid jargon and unnecessarily stringent requirements that could inadvertently deter qualified candidates with disabilities. 2. Ensure Your Website and Recruitment Materials are Accessible: Accessibility is the cornerstone of inclusive hiring. Your company's website and recruitment materials should be accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. This means implementing accessible web design practices, such as alternative text for images, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard navigation options. 3. Design and Host Inclusive Interviews: This could involve providing materials in accessible formats, offering sign language interpretation, or ensuring the interview location is physically accessible. Moreover, training your hiring team to understand and respect different disabilities can lead to more productive and respectful interactions, thereby fostering a welcoming environment for all candidates. 4. Promote a Flexible Work Environment: Embrace flexibility in work arrangements and consider offering part-time roles, remote work options, or flexible schedules. 5. Partner with Disability Organizations: Collaborate with organizations and advocacy groups that support people with disabilities. These partnerships can provide valuable insights into creating an inclusive hiring process and connect you with talented candidates. Additionally, such collaborations can enhance your company's reputation as an inclusive and socially responsible employer. 6. Implement Continuous Training and Awareness Programs: Education is key to maintaining an inclusive workplace. Regular training sessions for your employees on disability awareness, inclusive communication, and bias reduction can cultivate an empathetic and knowledgeable workforce. This ongoing commitment to education helps build a supportive environment where all employees can thrive. Inclusive hiring practices not only benefit individuals with disabilities but also enrich the entire organization. Fostering an inclusive environment is a continuous journey that benefits from regular reflection, adaptation, and commitment. Image Description: An abstract and artistic representation emphasizing inclusive hiring. #AXSChat #WeAreBillionStrong #InclusiveHiring #DEI #DisabilityInclusion #AutismAcceptanceWeek #Equity #SDGs

Are you an organization that would like to create a work environment that welcomes and allows everyone, including those with both visible and invisible disabilities, to thrive in 2025 and beyond? Here are 10 best practices for creating a disability-inclusive work environment: 1. Cultivate an inclusive culture: Foster a culture of respect, acceptance, and belonging where disability inclusion is championed by leadership and embraced by all. 2. Offer accessible hiring opportunities and processes: Ensure job postings, applications, interviews, and onboarding processes are fully accessible, with accommodations available upon request. 3. Provide disability awareness training: Educate employees and leaders about disabilities, inclusive language, and the importance of accessibility to reduce stigma and build understanding. 4. Ensure physical and digital accessibility: Design workplaces, tools, and technologies to be accessible, including ramps, assistive technology, and screen reader-compatible software. 5. Offer flexible work arrangements: Provide options like remote work, flexible schedules, and individualized accommodations to support diverse needs. 6. Create clear accommodation policies: Establish a transparent and responsive process for employees to request and receive workplace accommodations. Ensure the process of requesting and receiving reasonable accommodations is consistent, transparent, inclusive, interactive, and timely. 7. Engage disability employee resource groups (ERGs): Support and empower ERGs to provide insights, foster community, and advocate for inclusion initiatives. Ensure there is one (or more) ERG that advocates for accessibility and disability inclusion. 8. Incorporate universal design principles: Apply universal design to create environments, systems, and processes that benefit everyone, including people with disabilities. 9. Measure and monitor inclusion efforts: Track progress on disability inclusion initiatives through metrics like hiring rates, retention, and employee feedback. 10. Involve employees with disabilities in decision-making: Include employees with disabilities in policy development, product design, and workplace decisions—“Nothing About Us Without Us.” #DisabilityInclusion #Diversity #2025 #Accessibility #FutureOfWork #DEI #DEIA #Disability #Neurodiversity #Equity Image Text: Employees with disabilities can be productive and successful when the workplace is designed for everyone. @AsieduEdmund

Great Day Inspirers, As a Paralympic silver medalist, Disability Pride Month holds a special place in my heart. Before my own life changed, I never truly understood the significance of recognizing and celebrating disabilities. It's funny how life has a way of opening our eyes – I had to experience it firsthand to truly appreciate the importance of this month. Disability Pride Month isn’t just about awareness; it's about honoring the resilience, strength, and contributions of the disabled community. It’s a time to reflect on the progress we've made and the work that still needs to be done. I realized that we often wait until something affects us directly to get involved in different causes. But we don’t have to wait for that moment to make a difference. We can all contribute to creating a more inclusive and supportive world today. Here are five ways you can get involved and show your support this month: Educate Yourself: Take the time to learn about the history and significance of Disability Pride Month and the challenges faced by the disabled community. Advocate for Accessibility: Support policies and initiatives that promote accessibility in public spaces, workplaces, and online. Volunteer: Offer your time and skills to organizations that support people with disabilities. Support Disabled-Owned Businesses: Show your support by shopping from businesses owned and operated by people with disabilities. Spread Awareness: Use your platform to share stories, facts, and information about Disability Pride Month and encourage others to join the cause. Let's make this month one of learning, inclusion, and pride for all. Go forth and inspire your world, JR #DisabilityPride #InclusiveCommunity #AccessibilityMatters #SupportDisabledVoices #CelebrateDiversity

My autism isn’t just invisible to you, it’s invisible to me as well. Living with an invisible disability means constantly navigating a world that doesn’t see the challenges beneath the surface. There are no visible reminders like a cast on a broken arm, so even I struggle to recognize my own limits at times. This invisibility also means I’m rarely asked if I need help, despite the unique hurdles I face daily. So how can we better support individuals with invisible disabilities? Here are three actionable steps to validate and truly see them and their efforts: ⭐Practice curiosity without assumption. Don’t assume someone is fine just because they "look" fine. Ask open-ended questions like, “How can I support you today?” or “Is there anything you need to make this easier?” These small gestures can make someone feel truly seen and respected. ⭐Recognize effort, not just outcomes. Invisible disabilities often make even the smallest tasks monumental. Acknowledge the hard work someone puts in behind the scenes, even if the result seems “simple.” A sincere “I see how hard you’re trying” can mean the world. ⭐Create safe spaces for honesty. Many of us with invisible disabilities hesitate to share our struggles out of fear of judgment or dismissal. Lead with empathy and create environments where people feel comfortable saying, “I’m struggling” or “I need a break” without fear of repercussion. Validation goes beyond words, it’s in how we show up for others, how we listen, and how we acknowledge the unseen battles they fight. Let’s make the effort to see everyone, not just the visible. Learn more about the presentations I offer at www.RussL.co #actuallyautistic #neurodiversity #audhd #neurodivergent #autismmom #invisibledisabilities #disabilities #disabilityawareness #ocdawareness #mentalhealthmatters