Deaf Awareness Week 7-12 May

During Deaf Awareness Week (May 7-13) Action on Hearing Loss are highlighting the barriers facing patients who are deaf and calling on local health services to commission interpreting services that use only appropriately qualified sign language interpreters reports The Belfast Telegraph (07/05/12).
New research shows that 41% of surveyed people who use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first language have left a health appointment feeling confused about their medical condition, because the interpretation was not of an adequate standard.
A total of 68% said they have asked for an interpreter to be booked for a GP appointment, but did not get one.
People who are deaf have the legal right to experience the same level of service as other patients in the UK.
So, to avoid unnecessary confusion, anxiety or embarrassment, it is vital that they can access communication support best-suited to their needs.
To sign our petition calling for local health services to use only interpreters registered with the National Registers of Communications Professionals (NRCP), which shows that they meet the required standard for communicating essential medical information, please click here.

Deaf Action will be taking an information stall around Edinburgh and the Lothians to mark Deaf Awareness Week, which starts on Monday reports The Scotsman (04/05/12).

It will be at Gala Bingo, Meadowbank, on Thursday, and at the Livingston, Musselburgh and Danderhall libraries on Friday.

Staff will be handing out information and answering questions about services and hearing aids or equipment.

There will also be a British Sign Language taster session at the charity’s offices in Albany Street on Wednesday afternoon.

For more information visit www.deafaction.org

The East Sussex Hearing Resource Centre has a programme of events planned for this week to raise awareness of the hidden disability that is deafness reports The Sussex Express (05/05/12)

On Friday afternoon, there will be a chance to relax and listen to some poetry, a short story or perhaps an extract from a novel. A member of the Read Aloud scheme, run by the library service, will be visiting the Resource Centre to entertain everyone. A loop system will be used for the benefit of hearing aid wearers with this facility. All are welcome. The session starts at 2.30pm and should last for an hour.

For any further information contact Teresa Davis, 8 St Leonard’s Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3UH. Tel: 01323 722505 or email: teresa@eshrc.org.uk

Gestures speak volumes

Silence was beckoning up and down the halls of a Marlborough primary school yesterday as pupils were learning to communicate without saying a word writes Ian Allen for the Marlborough Express via Stuff.co.nz (02/05/12).

Year 5 and 6 children at Rapaura School had a special class with Deaf Aotearoa tutor Hilary Foister and learned to sign their names and express their feelings.

The visit was part of New Zealand Sign Language Week, which ends on Sunday.

Teacher Hayden Van Lent said the lesson was to teach pupils awareness and an appreciation of what deaf and partially deaf people go through daily.

No verbal communication was allowed during the class from the outset, he said.

"From the very beginning, the tutor started to use sign language and the children had to respond. They really enjoyed it."

Non-verbal communication was an important part of teaching, he said.

"It goes on in the classroom anyway, particularly with behaviour management. Maybe it's a click of the fingers or a look, they are just as effective."

Patrick Neal, 9, said having a totally quiet classroom was different.

He planned to show his new language skills to his older brother after school.

Classmate Brayden Carter, 9, said his favourite sign was for "toy". He might use it on his parents.

New Zealand Sign Language Week is run by Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand and is designed to celebrate it as an official language as well as raise awareness about the deaf community.

Deaf Aotearoa acting chief executive Tony Blackett said the week was a great time for hearing New Zealanders to think about how hard it was for deaf people to do things often done instinctively, such as describing an ailment, talking to a teacher about their child's progress or asking for something at a shop.

"If more hearing New Zealanders learnt a couple of simple signs, this would greatly help to break down communication barriers. It's a fun language to learn," he said.

Through greater use of sign language and easier access to qualified interpreters and other resources, life for deaf people would be less restrictive and they could be equal members of society, Mr Blackett said.

"Every day, deaf New Zealanders are prevented from doing something that hearing New Zealanders take for granted, because of restrictions in funding or the availability of resources, like interpreters.

"It's hard work to be continually fighting for your rights."