audio

Some disabilities are obvious – because they affect two of our main senses:

we can see them

we can hear them

And so we can adjust and take them, and the individual into account.

But what about invisible, or unseen, disabilities?

“Globally 1 in 7 of us live with a disability. And of those, 80% are invisible. That is 1 billion people who are living with a non-visible disability.” (hiddendisabilitiesstore.com)

There are a number of problems to address:

they are not visible

the individual may not want them to be recognized

you may not even know of them (as a disability)

you may know, but not accept, them a disability

Some examples of invisible disabilities include autism spectrum disorder, depression, diabetes, and learning and thinking differences such as ADHD and dyslexia. Invisible disabilities can also include symptoms such as chronic pain, fatigue, and dizziness.

Common features of unseen disabilities:

Others cannot ‘see’ the disability

There are no visible supports

They have to cope daily with the disability AND that it is unseen

Often the management of the disability is unseen (eg privately taken medication)

It has to be approved for special treatments to be made available

There is still some prejudice against certain types of unseen disability – ie some challenge it as unreal or seeking undeserved ‘special favours’

AND:

The individual may not

know they have this condition

know, but do not know it is a disability and/or treatable

be able to articulate their condition

feel comfortable ‘claiming’ their rights

feel validated in their condition by others

wish to declare an unseen disability for fear of prejudiced or discrimination

organisations

Here are our top ten suggestions for how organisations can demonstrate their commitment to supporting those with disability in the workplace:

1. treat everyone as equal: hey have the same rights and responsibilities
2. provide equity in the workplace (eg by making the workplace more accessible); equity may be more important than equality; equity means treating each person according to their need, and those with disabilities may have needs which require and justify special and different treatment to allow them to be at and give their best
3. with anyone with a disability, start from an assumption of ‘they can’, not ‘they can’t’; the very word ‘disability’ creates the sense of ‘a lack of ability’, which is unfair. Focus on what they can do, and assume the best
4. ask those with disability what would work best for them, then deliver it; don’t assume – don’t guess. The best person to ask what they want or need is them – and what they need or want may not be what you think they need or want
5. work out what’s the very best you can do, then do it: if they want a helping hand, then give it; if they want to do things for themselves, let them do it
6. find out what is best practice elsewhere, then match it; there is no need to guess or reinvent the wheel. There is best practice out there – be bothered to find it
7. help others to help others: encourage support and affirmative action; spread the word, spread the investment; create a ripple effect, so that exceptional treatment is common practice
8. run appropriate training and coaching programmes; make them mandatory, and more than just raising awareness and increasing knowledge. Provide skills development that may be valuable
9. make the workplace fit the worker, not vice versa. Make every effort to adapt and modify the working environment, rather than expect the individual to adapt and modify themselves
10. have a budget for affirmative action; a budget is a visible and important sign of commitment; so is spending it in ways that show and add value
11. Audio Transcript
12. And here are our top ten suggestions for what you, as an individual, can do:
13. treat everyone as equal: because in all other respects, they are
14. avoid attribution bias – ie because they have this disability, they won’t want to go clubbing/babysit/give me a lift/eat lunch with me outside
15. don’t assume: ask before helping, or if you’re not sure what to do
16. don’t assume they do or don’t have a disability: remember, most disabilities are unseen and invisible
17. don’t stare: this can be hard, as a evolutionary reflex. But equally, don’t look away. Just…engage…human to human…
18. speak directly to them: avoid “does he take sugar?”. Don’t patronise.
19. avoid labelling or emphasising any disability; focus on the person, not the disability
20. be comfortable with and around disability; that’s often the best gift you can give
21. be a role model and the best you can be – always, not occasionally
22. work with and value the person: they will work with their disability

individuals

And here are our top ten suggestions for what you, as an individual, can do:

1. treat everyone as equal: because in all other respects, they are
2. avoid attribution bias – ie because they have this disability, they won’t want to go clubbing/babysit/give me a lift/eat lunch with me outside
3. don’t assume: ask before helping, or if you’re not sure what to do
4. don’t assume they do or don’t have a disability: remember, most disabilities are unseen and invisible
5. don’t stare: this can be hard, as a evolutionary reflex. But equally, don’t look away.  Just…engage…human to human…
6. speak directly to them: avoid “does he take sugar?”. Don’t patronise.
7. avoid labelling or emphasising any disability; focus on the person, not the disability
8. be comfortable with and around disability; that’s often the best gift you can give
9. be a role model and the best you can be – always, not occasionally
10. work with and value the person: they will work with their disability