Deaf Awareness Week is an important time to promote understanding, inclusivity, and support for the D/deaf and hard of hearing community.

Here are some tips to help raise deaf awareness during this special week in 2024:

Educate Others: Take the opportunity to educate others about deafness and hearing loss. Share information, resources, and personal experiences to raise awareness and dispel common misconceptions.

Support Deaf Organisations: Show your support for local deaf organisations and initiatives. Attend their events, volunteer your time, or make a donation to help them continue their important work in the community. Why not make that the Deafness Resource Centre. We would always welcome your support.

Foster Inclusive Communication: Encourage inclusive communication practices in your workplace, school, or community. Promote the use of visual aids, written communication, and other strategies that ensure everyone can participate and be understood.

Spread the Word: Use social media, local newspapers, and community bulletin boards to spread awareness about Deaf Awareness Week. Share stories, facts, and resources to engage others and encourage them to join in promoting deaf awareness.

Promote Accessibility: Advocate for accessibility in public spaces, workplaces, and educational institutions. Encourage the use of visual alarms, accessible signage, and other accommodations that make environments more inclusive for individuals with hearing loss.

Remember, deaf awareness is not limited to just one week. It should be practiced year-round to create a more inclusive and accessible society for all.

Resources

Outlined below are the distinctions between effective and ineffective practices and their repercussions within medical environments like hospitals. Unfortunately, the former is frequently observed, while the latter should ideally serve as the benchmark. Take a closer look…

Effective Practice

• Initial contact with Advocate and lead nurse for client at the Hospital who discussed some of the process for booking interpreters and gave advocate details to discuss further.

• Lead nurse ensured that all information was given in BSL (ie specific diagnosis information)

• Client initial appts with leading consultants – Comms service made sure the same interpreter was booked for each one so that it was easier for the client and the interpreter for the appts to run smoothly (as they would both know what was happening at each appt). Client requested the same interpreter for the surgery.

• Interpreter booked for surgery, agreed that the interpreter would book out most of that day and also the next few days as client was expected to have a few days in hospital.

• The interpreter contacted Communication Service by email/text/phone regularly to update DRC on when she would be needed for ward rounds and if any other appts were to be made.

• The Communication Service would then contact the Interpreter bookings team to inform them when the interpreter would be attending.

• Regular contact was made with the interpreter and DRC to ensure that they were still happy to attend daily and to ensure their wellbeing was being maintained.

• Client was discharged with interpreter, and further appts have been made with the same interpreter attending each appointment. All agreed with hospital and client.

Outcome:

• Client was happy and felt confident with all the information that was given to her (with the BSL interpreter).

• Hospital was happy with Comms Team and the interpreter sorting the appts and informing them daily. Client feedback: “We are very lucky in St Helens for all the things DRC provide with interpreters. They understand what we need, and we don’t have to explain. Appreciate how hard you work to get all appointments covered.”