Free Deaf Awareness – still time to register your interest!
Action on Hearing Loss has received funding from the Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure to provide deaf awareness training to 300 staff working for voluntary & community organisations.
Improving deaf awareness and accessibility has many benefits. It will open up an organisation to people with hearing loss, enhance brand equity, improve customer service and help meet the legal requirements of equality legislation and accessible design.
Action on Hearing Loss is the leading hearing loss charity that has been supporting people who are deaf or have hearing loss for over 100 years. One in six people in the UK have some kind of hearing loss - that’s 10 million people. In Northern Ireland there are 300,000 people with hearing loss.
The training aims to create an awareness and understanding of the communication needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing; the various methods of communication support and the opportunity to learn some basic sign language.
Last year, under the auspices of DCAL; Action on Hearing Loss provided training to 20 organisations (approx. 300 people) who found the programme beneficial in their work supporting their local diverse community.
“We found the session really worthwhile and really enjoyed the teaching style. These introductory information sessions are of great benefit especially in raising awareness in local communities.” Ballybeen Women’s Centre
“This training opportunity was much needed… am delighted we had opportunity to understand a little of what it is like not to be able to hear.” The Derry Well Woman Centre
David Sloan from Action on Hearing Loss stated, “People with hearing loss can often feel isolated or vulnerable even within their own community and local centres or community groups offer a source of support. We are delighted that DCAL has supported us to be able to offer this introductory training again this year to the sector.”
The Deaf Awareness training sessions will take place from November 2013.
Action on Hearing Loss is calling for organisations to register their interest so venues can be secured across the province. Email your name, the voluntary/community group you work for; how many staff you anticipate attending and where you are based to [email protected] Subject: Free Deaf Awareness Training or call Dominic Stephen on 020 7296 8361 or Liz Facer on 0161 276 2312 - calls welcome via Text Relay.
