Sensory Charity Encourages Everyone to Come Together During Deaf Awareness Week

In their 45th year, the organisation are highlighting better communication with deaf people, as well as sharing the great work they have been doing over the past year since the pandemic hit, under the international Deaf Awareness Week theme of ‘coming through this together’.

Gill Reeder Operation Executive has worked for the DSN since its inception and said that this year's Deaf Awareness Week was a real positive step forward following a year of hardship for so many.

“This year we wanted to highlight how much effort our team has gone too to keep the deaf community together during isolation and the various lockdowns,” said Gill.

“The deaf community meet regularly at our deaf clubs in Northwich, Chester and Macclesfield, so it’s had a devastating effect on the morale of the community and individuals themselves for them not to do so. We are taking this week to celebrate the work we have done both in-house and in our outreach work, both in Cheshire and North Wales.”

The 70+ team which includes British Sign Language interpreters, social workers and volunteers, amongst many more, have used several tactics to help to tackle loneliness and isolation in the past year.

Within their Support Living settings the highly skilled team in Northwich has worked to adjust day-to-day activities for tenants to ensure their safety and security whilst maintaining their high standards in supporting tenants’ development.

DSN also regularly administer Deaf Awareness training to companies and organisations, hold British Sign Language (BSL) courses and funds critical research alongside the University of Manchester into the links between Deafness and Dementia.

Gill added: “Through all of the measures, we have been working hard to ‘get through this together’ and we will continue our efforts in the future, as we have done for the past 45 years. We look forward to a week of celebrating our wonderful team and service users.”

As part of the push to help raise awareness, the team is offering 20 FREE height charts for families interested in learning more about deafness. Contact:

dsn@dsnonline.co.uk  to get yours!

For all the news and updates on Deaf Awareness Week - head to DSN’s social channels: Facebook: @DeafnessSupportNetwork or Twitter: @DSNonline.

For more information about DSN go to www.dsnonline.co.uk or to show your support for our work locally, Text DSN to 70085 to donate £3.00 (Texts cost £3, plus one standard rate message).

BOX OUT: Make sure you have face-to-face contact with the person you are talking to. 

• Get the listener's attention before you start speaking, maybe by waving or tapping them on the arm. If a deaf person is not looking at you they are not listening to you. 
• Speak clearly but not too slowly, and don't exaggerate your lip movements – this can make it harder to lipread. 
• Use natural facial expressions and gestures. 
• Don't shout. It can be uncomfortable for hearing aid users and it makes your face look aggressive. 
• If someone doesn't understand what you've said, don't keep repeating it. Try to rephrase it.
• Find a suitable place to talk, with good lighting and away from noise and distractions. 
• Check that the person you're talking to is following you during the conversation. Use plain language and don't waffle. Avoid jargon and unfamiliar abbreviations. 
• To make it easy to lipread, don’t cover your mouth with your hands, paper or clothing.
• Even if someone is wearing hearing aids it doesn't mean they can hear you perfectly. Ask if they need to lipread. There is a difference between hearing a voice and understanding what has been said.
• If you are using communication support, always remember to talk directly to the person you are communicating with, not the interpreter.

Pictured  -  DSN's Pam Craig with a height chart with the do's and don'ts of communicating with the Deaf.