Sunflowers shine light on invisible disabilities

BYRON Shire Council launched the Council’s Sunflower Initiative in the Mullumbimby Customer Service Centre last week, recognising the unique challenges of living with hidden or non-visible disabilities.

The global Sunflower Initiative trains organisation staff who wear sunflower lanyards as an identifiable symbol of support for people with non-visible disabilities.

Deputy Mayor Jack Dods said it might seem small, but it was a big and important initiative.

“It’s a message to everyone who faces life every day with a hidden disability,” Dods said.

“We see you; we acknowledge you, and we’re here to support you.

“Hidden and invisible disabilities affect huge numbers of people in our community and their carers and can be as diverse as things like dementia, autism, and chronic illnesses.

“They can be temporary, situational or permanent; they can be physical, visual or auditory – they are disabilities that probably affect most of us, or someone we love, at some stage.”

Council staff are wearing the sunflower lanyards at the Mullumbimby Customer Service Centre, the Lone Goat Gallery, the Cavanbah Centre and the Sandhills Early Childhood Centre.

“We are rolling out the training across our public-facing roles to begin with, and our plan is to train all Council staff over the next 6 to 12 months,” Cr Dods said.

“We thank our amazing Access Consultative Working Group members for bringing this important initiative to us to support and raise awareness of hidden disability.

“We are really pleased to be joining other Councils around Australia in what is a global movement to make sure everyone’s right to feel seen and safe is supported,” he said.