Sydney Elaine Butler grew up having a speech impediment and couldn’t say their “R’s” and spoke too fast. In high school, Sydney struggled with very poor mental health such as depression and wanted to be an environmentalist to change the world, but did not have the grades to go the university for this.
Sydney started volunteering to help teenagers with disabilities, and got a summer job which turned into a regular job while going to college and university for Human Resources, that was helping kids, teenagers, and adults with disabilities while becoming more aware of their lived experience of having disabilities and experiencing neurodiversity.
Sydney then graduated from their post-secondary education, ready to enter the workplace and be an accessibility expert while being an HR assistant to specialist, understanding that could be a unique position for potential employers.
However, Sydney graduated in the midst of 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is very hard to find a job. Sydney started volunteering, and attending numerous Human Resources conferences to get experience,and build a network, and this landed them two temporary positions, and after this, Sydney realized they could do more work they are passionate about, and be a fractional/ external support for organizations via training and consulting instead, and speak at events instead. Sydney launched Accessible Creates in August 2021.
Why do you think it’s important for organisations as a whole to acknowledge and support neurodiversity in the workplace and that it shouldn’t just be an initiative led and owned by HR?
- It is important to have everyone in the workplace to understand their role in supporting neurodivergent and disabled employees
- Allows for employees to know how to make sure they are more inclusive and accessible to everyone who interacts with the business
- HR can not do it alone and it has to be connected to all aspects of the business to create a more inclusive and accessible workplace
- Managers need to know how to support and interact with all different types of employees
- Everyone deserves to feel included in the workplace
- Accessibility allows for everyone to have the most success in their work and in their lives by giving them the resources they need to be successful and to interact with the world
- Needs to be from a more holisitc perspective and not siloed
What more can schools do to support students who are neurodivergent?
- Foster the strengths of the child instead of focusing on fixing only weaknesses
- Have different ways of communicating that is best suited to that individual child
- Have sensory safe spaces for students to allow for those who sensory difficulties e.g. quiet room
- Have policies around accommodating and accessibility for neurodivergent and disabled students
Why do you think it’s so important for people and organisations to think about intersectionality?
Someone brings their whole self to work, and work accounts for the majority of our days.
It is important to understand why someone is the way that they are, and be mindful of the world views you based on your intersections, and how you may view someone based on their intersections. DEI work can not be siloed as it currently is. It is imperative to understand the intersections and how that plays a role on how shows up not only to work but their every day life.
What are the 3 things that you love most about your work at ‘Accessible Creates’?
- The variety of work I get to do and industries/companies I get to work with. I have worked with companies across the globe in different industries and do things from training, consulting to coaching.
- I get to have my voice sprinkled in all the work I do, in my trainings, and even in policy audits and reviews. I get to bring my research and lived experience and merge them to give my clients the best work possible.
- I love the people I get to interact with neurodivergent and disabled folks when they realize, they are not alone and that they have someone else advocating alonsgide them in workplace who has similar experiences to them.
You spoke at the UN’s ‘World Autism Awareness Day’ event earlier this year. Can you please share with us how that experience was for you?
Dreams come true. No but seriously, I have wanted to speak at the UN since I was a little girl. I thought I would do it talking about the environment, but to talk about my own experiences as an autistic person while being one of the only racialised people on the panel. It was so surreal.
I am a huge Star Wars fan, and I was wearing my rebel alliance necklace my life partner got me, because I am a rebel fighting and advocating for what I believe in. To speak at the UN being the most authentic me was an amazing experience, and I am so grateful.
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