D4, Isca House
Haven Road
Exeter, Devon
EX2 8DS
Deaf Awareness
Knowledge leads to understanding
Deaf Awareness Training is important in tackling discrimination, creating equality through understanding and changing attitudes to be more positive towards deafness.
It also helps with basic communication skills which are so important to Deaf people, it could even mean the difference between life and death. Imagine a car crash and the communication needed between a paramedic and a Deaf person...
The Equality Act 2010 states that commercial and public organisations need to be aware of the needs of their Deaf customers, service users and staff.
Our one day workshop is delivered by Deaf tutors, who themselves have the experience of what it is like to live in a hearing world. They can deliver courses to voluntary, public and private/commercial organisations. There are approximately 100,000 Deaf people in England alone, whose first language is British Sign Language (BSL).
Being Deaf is about experiencing the world visually
The half-day workshop focuses on issues and opportunities in the Deaf Community and introduces Deaf Culture. Interpreters will be provided. Topics and exercises include:
- Deaf Culture and Community
- Equipment and technology
- Booking and working with interpreters
- Lip-reading awareness
- Gestures/body language awareness
- Group discussion describing Deaf community
The full day workshop also includes basic signs in the afternoon session:
- Alphabet
- Greetings
- Short phrases
- Work & hobbies
The next Deaf Awareness course will take place on Wednesday 21st March 2012 which will coincide with British Sign Language Recognition Day.
Deaf people, involved in Deaf culture, view their Deafness as a difference rather than a disability
If you would like to help Deaf people communicate or learn about Deafness why not book a place? For more information or to book a place on our Deaf Awarenss or BSL courses, please contact us.
We also offer British Sign Language Courses. Visit our BSL Page for more information.
We asked the trainers at Living Options Devon to run workshops for our "All Staff Training Day" to raise awareness of inclusion issues but also, importantly, to enable people to see how they could take personal action. The day took place in an outdoor environment - a tall order which was delivered professionally by very engaging and knowledgeable trainers whose infectious enthusiasm inspired our staff. Evaluations at the end of the day were glowing but more significantly the anecdotal feedback on return to work showed just how much impact the trainers from Living Options Devon had on peoples' understanding of and responses to disability awareness.
Orlando Rutter, Dartmoor National Park Authority