New RNID service for Troubles' deaf

RNID Northern Ireland is pioneering a new service for individuals who have acquired hearing loss during the Troubles because of close proximity to a bomb blast or explosion.

The Rehabilitation Project aims to provide help and support to individuals with a hearing loss, as well as their family and friends who may be having difficulty coping with the impact of acquired deafness.

Until now no specific service has been available to meet the needs of this group of people. The project has been enabled by funding from the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace II).

Through a range of courses, participants will have the opportunity to meet with others with similar experiences, and to find out about communication skills, coping strategies, support services and assistive devices.

“The experience of sudden acquired hearing loss can be very traumatic ,” says RNID Northern Ireland Director, Brian Symington, “particularly if it is caused by an equally distressing event such as a bomb explosion. RNID, in recognising that many people have acquired hearing loss due to the Troubles, have developed a project which aims to help people adjust to hearing loss and overcome the problems they face as a result of it .”

As a follow up, RNID Employment, Learning and Skills Service (ELSS) has received additional funding to provide employment and training support. ELSS will assist individuals by facilitating access to training and employment opportunities, organising specific courses to help develop new skills and arranging work experiences to sample new opportunities.

The Rehabilitation Project was launched by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on 9 October 2003. For more information about the project, please contact Maria King, Rehabilitation Coordinator:

maria.king@rnid.org.uk
or Textphone 028 6632 9849
www.rnid.org.uk/rehab_ni