As we go about our lives we see a lot of definite positive changes to help Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities.
But some inadequate, unpleasant or frustrating experiences show us that there is still a long way to go before they enjoy equal access to even basic amenities, services and work opportunities that the majority are able to take for granted.
It further is apparent that the vast majority of accommodation of the needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities remains unpredictable, haphazard and reactive in nature.
The communities are 12 million strong in the UK alone, yet key support facilities remain inaccessible without an accompanying, sometimes exhausting struggle or the support of family taking time out of their own working hours.
Providing school students in the UK with the chance to study sign language is of course a move in the right direction, but it doesn't solve the issues which exist day to day, here and now, not down the line.
Challenges are naturally made particularly stressful and even frightening where, for example, matters of health and work are at stake.
Some ideas of what simple steps may be taken by relevant organisations to help ease the challenges faced are as follows:-
● business and employment support could be more appreciative of the fact that support needs are round the clock - or, as a leading national Deaf ambassador puts it, "the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are not so merely on a Tuesday afternoon"
● hospitals, doctors surgeries and employers could be funded to enable them to be equipped with interpreting facilities on site versus acting reactively when problems arise (by which point issues may be time critical) and then having to agree and source support externally
● staff and employers could learn to be a little more patient as Deaf and Hard of Hearing attempt to explain to non BSL (British Sign Language) users what they mean in the best way they can
● pens and paper might be used to communicate and people be trained in effectively doing so
● when writing, writers might sympathise with the fact that English is not the first language for many Deaf and Hard of Hearing (BSL is) so, again, please be patient
● writers could try not to email in too much depth as this can hamper understanding and so be overwhelming
● appreciate concerns on the part of Deaf and Hard of Hearing that they are not accurately able to convey the content of what they mean to say and do not be put off by this
● it is a statistically proven fact that people with Deafness and hearing loss are more likely to suffer from social anxiety and panic attacks than others. So training might be provided on how to identify and cope with panic attacks and social disorders in the relevant organisations as part of standard first aid training
● employers can and should correspondingly be rewarded for any of the above efforts toward greater inclusivity through accredited initiatives such as Investors in People and Better Health at Work Award
● relevant organisations may finally also wish to commit to at least one member of staff being trained in Sign Language to open up wider opportunities to Deaf and Hard of Hearing across the employment cycle and demonstrate an active commitment to non discrimination. This commitment in its turn might make businesses far more attractive partners or service providers to others, notably larger corporates where we are already beginning to see greater work opportunities appear.
Please note that, to help play own small part in furthering the above as a small business, we have VRS (Video Relay Service) accredited BSL interpreter facilities available between the hours of 8am and 6pm to ensure our offering is as openly available to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities as to anyone else without discrimination.
Further StressBustingExpert™ posts relevant to the above can be accessed via the following links:-
"The Universe gave us 2 ears and only 1 mouth for a reason"
"Identifying & Stressbusting™ Panic Attacks"
"Stressbusting™ Lessons from Finland - “The Happiest Nation on Earth”"
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