Accessible social media best practices in use makes a big impact on the experience that users with vision and/or hearing disabilities have on social media.

Use the below checklist to double-check your content before posting it.

Hashtags

• Use hashtags in moderation.
• Put multi-word hashtags in Camel Case.
• Place hashtags at the end of posts and tweets when possible.
• lace hashtag clouds in the first comment of Instagram posts instead of the caption.

Images

• Add alt text to all images, including GIFs.
• Add alt text for all copy on images that include flattened text.
• If an image has excessive flattened copy on it (i.e. an official statement or organizational update), link out from the post or tweet to a webpage where the full statement is available as readable text and add alt text to the image.

Videos

• Add closed captioning to all videos that contain dialogue and/or audio.
• Provide a written or audio description of a video if it does not contain audio.
• Add open captioning to videos where closed captioning is not possible (i.e. Story features, Instagram Reels, TikTok, etc…)
• Avoid using flashing lights or strobe effects in videos.
• Make live captioning and/or an on-camera interpreter available for live videos.

Emojis

• Use emojis in moderation.
• Do not use emojis as bullet points.
• Avoid putting emojis in the middle of written content.
• Stick to default yellow emojis unless a custom skin tone is necessary for context.
• Double-check the descriptions of emojis on emojipedia.org before using them.

Characters & Symbols

• Do not use special Unicode characters from external websites to make type appear in different styles or fonts.
• Do not use ASCII Art in posts or tweets.

Glossary

Alternative Text

Alternative text—more commonly known as alt text—is the meta description of an image that a screen reader uses to accurately describe it aloud to blind and visually impaired users.

The platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow users to write custom alt text for in-feed images. Twitter also allows users to write alt text for Fleets, their Story feature.

ASCII Art

ASCII Art is a design technique that uses characters to create illustrative pictures.

However, screen readers cannot decipher ASCII Art and attempt to read the individual characters that make the illustration up instead. Therefore, ASCII Art is not accessible.

Audio Description

Verbalized description of a video that allows blind and visually impaired users to understand its content.

On streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, an audio description is available as a track separate from the closed captions track. The platforms YouTube and Vimeo do not allow for separate audio description tracks, unfortunately.

Camel Case

Camel Case—also known as Pascal Case and Title Case—is the method of capitalizing each word in a multi-word hashtag so that screen readers say it correctly.

Examples: #SocialMediaRocks, #UseCamelCase, #GoAlexa

Closed Captions

Closed captioning (CC) and subtitling are both processes of displaying text on a video to provide interpretive info about the dialogue or other audio in the video.

Subtitles are intended for viewers who can’t understand the language being spoken in the video. Closed captions can be toggled on and off.

Emojis

Colorful icons popular on social media.

Every individual icon—including ones with custom skin tones—has its own unique description assigned to it that is read aloud when a screen reader comes across an emoji in content. The appearances and descriptions of emojis can vary based on the device or platform they are being viewed on.

Use the site emojipedia.org to double-check emoji descriptions.

Flattened Text

Text on digital assets such as images and/or PDF files that has been turned into an object and is no longer recognized by a screen reader as readable characters.

Flattened text is easily identified by dragging your mouse over the copy in question and seeing if you can highlight the individual words.

Open Captions

Captions or subtitles that are burned into a video during post-production and always visible.

They cannot be turned off by viewers.

Screen Reader

Assistive software program that allows blind and visually impaired users to consume the text that is displayed on a screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display.

Most smart phones have screen readers built into them. On iPhone, the program is called VoiceOver. On Android devices, it’s called TalkBack.

Special Unicode

Characters copied and pasted from external websites like IGFonts.io and CoolFont.org that are visually different from the social media platform’s native type.

This trend became popular on Instagram and has spread to the other platforms. However, not all screen readers can decipher these special Unicode characters, making them inaccessible.

Written By: Alexa Heinrich · August 24, 2021

This resource was created by Alexa Heinrich and is shared with permission.

If you have questions or want to learn more about how you can improve your digital accessibility skills, feel free to reach out to me at hello@therealalexa.com.

This ‘Business to Business’ guide offers inclusive workforce best practices distilled from decades of experience and expertise. It is a resource for employers on how to adapt recruitment and retention practices to better engage people with disabilities and others with barriers to employment, including success stories and valuable lessons learned by organizations that are already successfully employing inclusively.

The content for this guide was developed throughout 2019. The current situation most organizations find themselves in has since changed dramatically. Certain segments of the guide are likely to change as a result, especially data around workforce shortages. However, information on benefits to business and individuals, and inclusive recruitment and retention practices, remain as valuable as ever. This will become even more important as organizations resume business operations and plan to ramp-up employment again, post-COVID-19.

Bottom line: being a supportive employer and creating a caring,
respectful workplace culture has never been more important!

Click the trusted LINK below to download your guide today!!

Untapped-Talent_Supportive-Employers-Guide_03032020_WEBREADY-Accessible-FINAL-3

September is a time to celebrate and recognize inclusive employers and the important contribution people with disabilities make in the workplace.

5 Easy Tips to Being a More Inclusive Employer

1. 1.  Talk to your staff about the benefits of inclusive hiring and why it makes good business sense.
   2.  Celebrate the diversity of your existing team through a lunch and learn or group outing.
   3.  Talk to other organizations – like members of the Presidents Group – who are also on this journey and learn from their experiences.
   4.  Review your recruitment practices – what barriers might exist for someone trying to apply?
   5. Check out what some of our Presidents Group members have done:

What Are Other Employers Doing in September?

•  Vancity is hosting a book club on the topic of disabilities for employees.
•  Gabi & Jules Bakery is connecting with other small businesses to have a conversation about inclusive employment.
•  The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will feature intranet stories on the topic of people with disabilities in the workplace.
•  Destination BC is engaging their employees by having quizzes related to content on accessibleemployers.ca
•  The BC Tech Association is following @AccessEmployers on Twitter and re-tweeting relevant content to spread awareness within their network.

What is your organization doing to build diversity and inclusion?

Shared from: https://accessibleemployers.ca/september-is-disability-employment-month-in-bc/

I love trend research because without it we wouldn’t have a clue about where the world is going. As career practitioners, if we don’t know where things are going, we run the risk of sharing outdated information with our clients, leaving them improperly equipped to compete in the marketplace. We need to keep current — especially in the rapidly changing world of work — and be aware of emerging trends so we can position our clients to act quickly and effectively when desired opportunities roll around. At the same time, let’s not forget the solid tried-and-true job tips that seem timeless. I’d like to share 21 of my favourite job search tips and trends that will hopefully help you help your clients.

21 Job Search Tips and Trends

1. A client’s knowledge about the job search process and the quality of his or her own job search will influence the type of employer chosen and ultimately the career trajectory achieved.
2. Managers are fearful of making a “bad hire” so the screening process is increasingly tough and a high number of candidates might be disqualified. For this reason, some hiring managers may turn to their personal networks to find strong potential candidates, thus creating a hidden job market.
3. Recruiters are increasingly turning to their networksto find the best candidates. This is why maintaining relationships in their current networks and expanding into new ones is so important for clients.
4. People hire those they like and trust. Clients who present a high degree of likability and rapportwill do better in the job search process. Candidates who target like-minded companies with values close to their own and a culture that matches their preferred environment will excel in the job search process.
5. Opportunities for working remotely continue to growand clients are no longer limited by their geographical area. People who live in the country can find remote opportunities in the big city without ever leaving home.
6. Part-time work is also on the rise, in large part due to employers wanting to cut salary and benefits costs. The workforce is increasingly comprised of consultants, contractors, freelancers, and outsource providers.
7. Clients who understand and effectively communicate their value proposition in a variety of mediums — online and in-person networking, social media, résumé, etc. — will be effective job seekers.
8. It will be harder to get job interviews if clients don’t understand how Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) work.
9. Social media continues to grow as a job search tool. Many clients are still behind in this area. LinkedIn’s blogging feature now offers clients a platform where they can establish their brand and become thought leaders — raising their Google ranking and gaining more attention from hiring officials and recruiters.
10. Résumés will become an aggregate of social media with more links to work, social media, video bios, etc. Keeping up with advances in modern, creative, technology-enhanced résumé development will be important.
11. Mobile applications are quickly becoming a medium for job application. Job-search related communications are expected to be clear and to the point. Wordy cover letters and résumés will not be effective.
12. Informal networking is on the increase. Clients who are uncomfortable in stiff, formal events can network with their colleagues over a quiet lunch or coffee.
13. Emotional Intelligence (EI)will become increasingly important for effective networking and relationship building. Therefore, we must teach clients how to enhance their soft skills.
14. Hard and soft skills are becoming just as important as experience and education. Employers are looking at how clients will use their skills in the position.
15. Using the phone for follow-up calls is gaining importance once again. The client who follows up with the recruiter by phone is often the “gem” that the employer is seeking.
16. With remote working on the rise — and here to stay for many — video communication is also trending, giving people opportunities to conduct video interviews and meetings. Recruiters are increasingly using mobile applications to interview candidates.
17. More companies are interviewing candidates in groups rather than one-on-one sessions. Clients will need to become comfortable interacting with interviewers and candidates in small groups.
18. Companies are asking candidates for writing samples where they introduce themselves in an email or present what they will accomplish in their first few weeks on the job. Job search document preparation will expand into new areas.
19. Job seekers are doing reference checks on companies. Known as reverse reference checks, rather than taking the company’s word as to how great it is, job seekers are asking former or current employees if the company is true to its word.
20. Job seekers can design their own careers that suit their values and personality while adding balance to their lives. Companies that don’t heed this trend will lose out on talented employees.
21. Some job seekers are beginning to outsource portions of their job search to private on-shore and off-shore services. This is a pricey option, and if the service does not produce results, some job seekers will not be able to spend on this type of service long-term.

As the old saying goes, “knowledge is power.” The more we know about job search trends, the more empowered we become to help our clients shorten their job search and increase their career success.

21 Job Search Tips and Trends for 2021

Young people aged 12-24 and their caregivers can now access provincial virtual services through their new Foundry BC app.

Access virtual services through the new Foundry BC app — co-created with and for youth and their caregivers in British Columbia.

!

Learn more: https://foundrybc.ca/virtual

May 7th is about building caring connections between young people and the caring adults in their lives.  We know having caring, connected conversations can have a big impact on the mental health of children and youth.   As Founders of National Child & Youth Mental Health day in 2007, FamilySmart has been leading May 7th and creating opportunities for home, schools, communities and organizations to connect around our “I care about you” message. 

At the Princeton Skills Centre, we see firsthand the impact of  peoples ability to manage their Mental Health in the workplace.  We know that the more we do to end stigma and shame, the better off we will be in promoting health and wellness, truth and vulnerability in ourselves, families & friends.  Our workplaces and communities will be brighter, more inclusive and resilient.   

May 3-7 has been declared Youth Employment Week in BC, so we thought we would revisit a paradigm about young workers that just wont go away.

We’ve heard many comments about the “culture of entitlement”, but we wanted to question the level of truth to this popular opinion.  

Is it possible that young people view their work differently than those in the Baby Boomer Generation?

Studies show that millennial workers are looking for more from their employment than just the pay cheque.  

• The millennial worker is looking for meaning, opportunity for development, and guidance from those who have gone before them.  
• From a BOSS a millennial is looking for help navigating their career path through coaching and mentoring,
• From the COMPANY a millennial is looking for integrity, flexibility, and a respect for worklife balance,
• A millennial wants to learn: technical skills needed in their field, how to be a leader, and industry knowledge.

The challenge for those of us from another generation who are tasked with managing these workers, is changing ourselves and the way we manage.  

We have an obligation to the next generation to help them be the best that they can be on the job.

A good employer will establish mentorship programs for these workers, and will provide useful feedback and opportunities to learn and improve. 

It is the responsibility of the prior generation to ensure the next generation is ready to carry the torch. 

This doesn’t mean “trial by fire” as was the disciplinary style of the prior generations. 

This means, understanding the workforce, its new motivations and adapting and leaning into their strengths and their development. 

This requires work on the part of the prior generation who are likely the CEO’s, the top Executives and the Supervisors.  Be better and do the work that is needed, everyone will be rewarded with dedicated, capable, and  creative workers

Remember when you are old and vulnerable, this generation is moving the world.  Set them up right.

This requires us allowing them to change the workplace as well. 

Read more from Gallup and INC.  

http://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/working-with-millennials-gallup-says-everything-you-think-you-know-is-wrong.html

A few years back I read a book called “Designing Your Life“.  Chapter 2 in this book, which is filled with activities, encourages the reader to contemplate the Why? question of work.  Why Work?  This small activity turned into my own personal manifesto of work (I committed to the project :-)).  I examined the logical reasons for working, paying the bills and I examined the philosophical reasons such as a sense of accomplishment, contributing to economy and everything in between.

It is really quite an impressive document, if I could say so, because it was a deep dive into what motivates me to get up every day as I have for the last 22 years, and report for duty at the Princeton Skills Centre/WorkBC Employment Centre.  

I am acutely interested in the study of worker Motivation.  Why can one person engage wholly in their activities, where another person struggles to be engaged in even the easiest of things.  Time and time again, I hear people indicate that they get “bored” with jobs easily and then tend to leave that job once the “spark” is gone.  What a tremendous loss to a company, who loses a worker once they become competent!

Daniel Pink is his book “Drive” indicated a third drive of motivation (1 & 2 are Survival & Reward) and that 3rd drive was the performance of the task alone.  Workers can find motivation and gratification because the joy of the task was its own reward.  Designing jobs and workplace culture for interest are a challenge for Employers, Being Curious about Work to sustain interest is the challenge for workers.  

For the last few weeks in the WorkBC resource centre, we have been astounded by the sheer volume of jobs that are available in Princeton, RIGHT NOW.  Princeton Job Market is very hot, Employers are needing workers, and workers have OPTIONS.  I have contemplated the impact on an employer who can not find workers to sustain their business and believe this is a serious issue.  Herein, I believe lies an important part of the answer to the WHY WORK question.  Because the economy needs you to.

A part of economic growth, and right now, economic recovery, is ensuring that all those who can participate in the labour market, DO PARTICIPATE IN THE LABOUR MARKET.  If you can work, you should.  Business needs you.

 Self-Care, Selfish or Self-Full?

When is the last time you allowed yourself the time and space to Recharge, Refuel and Regenerate your vibrancy ?  Do you make  Self-Care a priority? Allow Mindfulness and Heartfulness to be at the very core of your leadership style.  When you take care of yourself, you give permission for others to embrace and honor their wellness journey. Being a leader in the Emotional Intelligence genre requires you to speak another level of language, and self-care, wholeheartedness and wellness is at the core of leaders of the future. 

Allow yourself the space to lean into new routines and habits that promote Vitality.   

We encourage you to invest in Your-selfie~  Radical Compassion is our duty, the tricky business of being a human can be messy and frankly a lot of work.  But we’re betting that you’ll show up  as the absolute BEST version of you; vital and more brilliant!

From all of us at the Princeton Skills Centre: Be Self-Full…

https://www.nedratawwab.com/