UK Council on Deafness

Annual Review 2003

• Foreword
• Introduction
• Conferences
• Campaigns
• Look At Me
• Member Services
• OfV Grants
• Financial Summary
• Members - Action by Working Together
• Affiliates

Foreword

It is timely for me to have the opportunity to write the foreword to UKCoD's 2003 annual review and to recognise a year of continued progress for the organisation.

I was privileged on 18 March this year to be able to make a statement in the House of Commons recognising British Sign Language as a language in its own right. On the day I met some of the many people who had been campaigning for BSL recognition over a number of years. It was a happy and memorable occasion, and provided an opportunity for us all to take stock and to look forward.

I want to thank UKCoD for their support in the work leading up to the statement, and subsequently as we moved to establish the BSL working group. The working group has already provided advice on priorities for spending the additional £1 million we have made available to support the statement.

Of course UKCoD's remit covers the whole of the field of deafness and its inaugural Deaf Awareness Week in May was a good example of joint working between member organisations and other key players to raise awareness of the communication needs of all deaf people. Such awareness and understanding are key for deaf people to succeed in the workplace, to be able to access services and to participate in their local communities.

I note from its review of 2003 the emphasis UKCoD places on working with Government departments in responding to key consultation documents and on providing representatives on a number of advisory groups. We do need that expert input and perspective to help us develop policies and procedures which are fit for purpose.

I congratulate UKCoD's success in extending co-operation and joint working between member organisations in representing the varied interests of deaf people. You have my best wishes for another successful year.

Andrew Smith
Secretary of State
Department for Work and Pensions

President
Rt Hon Lord Ashley of Stoke CH

Chair
Ruth Myers

Vice Chair
Susan Daniels

Treasurer
Tom Fenton

Trustees
David Buxton
Sharon Collins
Jeff McWhinney
Miranda Pickersgill
Steve Powell
Fiona Robertson
Stephen Rooney
Paul Simpson
Paul Tomlinson
Teresa Waldron

Director
Jonathan Isaac

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Introduction

It is gratifying that we have continued to make steady progress over the past year. Membership continues to increase significantly and our conferences and seminars are well attended. Additionally we have branched out into what is for us previously uncharted territory - the conference on Education attracted a lively audience as did that on Black and Ethnic Minority issues. We do not necessarily aim to achieve a consensus or determine a course of action at these events but try to create a framework through which members can meet to talk about issues of concern.

We were very pleased that the long running campaign to get recognition of British Sign Language was successful and congratulate all those involved in this achievement. Recognition is not by any means the end of the road, there is still a lot of work to be done before BSL users receive equal access to services. Deaf people who do not use BSL experience similar problems, especially in terms of getting the communication support of their choice, and this is one of the major areas of work we hope to address in the coming year.

We continue to distribute Opportunities for Volunteering Grants and we are proud that the Department of Health commended us for the careful way in which we carried out the assessment process.

The coordination of the first Deaf Awareness Week to cover the full spectrum of deafness has been a significant achievement for us and was made possible by the support we received from Boots Hearingcare.

We congratulate Jonathan Isaac on his skilful management and appreciate the hard work put into the organisation by him and his small team.

Trustees have continued to give us tremendous support which is greatly appreciated. I cannot close without thanking Rodney Clark for all he has done for the UK Council on Deafness since its inception. Rodney has been a valuable source of help and advice and we hope he will enjoy his retirement.

Ruth Myers
Chair
UK Council on Deafness

UK Council on Deafness is the national umbrella organisation for Charities and Professional Bodies working in the field of deafness.

Our Mission is to

• support member organisations in their work for and with deaf people
• be a catalyst for debate to initiate change
• provide a national perspective on deaf issues
• influence policy makers to achieve equality and rights for deaf people

Our Aim is to improve and extend co-operation between member organisations in promoting and representing the diverse interests of deaf people

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Conferences

During the year we held six major events. Each one was well attended, with up to 100 delegates, and produced lively debate.

• Black & Ethnic Minority Deaf People Conference 16th October 2002
• Single Equality Body Consultation Day 21st November 2002
• Access to Health Conference 10th April 2003
• Promoting Social Inclusion Seminar 3rd June 2003
• Access to the Legal System Conference 1st July 2003
• Youth Services Seminar 17th July 2003

We have a full programme of events for 2004 and for the first time will be developing a series of Conferences outside London.

Objective: To provide a forum for discussion and exchange of information between member organisations and be a reference point for all organisations working with deaf people

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Campaigns

• British Sign Language
  We were delighted to play a part in the campaign for official recognition of BSL, which reached a successful conclusion on 18th March 2003. We congratulate the government for taking this initiative and the BDA and FDP for leading the campaign.
• Human Aids to Communication
  The £1million investment from the government will lead to progress being made in promoting communication in BSL. Now the focus of the campaign is to achieve progress in increasing the supply of Speech to Text Reporters, Lipspeakers and Deafblind Communicators.
• Health Services
  Following our conference in April we are working with the RNID to conduct a UK-wide survey, involving 20 regional deaf organisations, into the barriers deaf people face when accessing the NHS. We are also supporting the Reaching Deaf Minds Campaign.
• Access to Work
  We are co-ordinating a Working Party to assist Jobcentre Plus in making the Access to Work scheme more efficient and more appropriate to the needs of deaf people.

Consultations & Advisory Committees

During the year we co-ordinated our members responses to a number of government consultation documents including Sign of the Times, Modernising Mental Health Services for Deaf People. We provide representatives on many government and other advisory committees including: Association of Directors of Social Services Sensory Subcommittee, TOPPS England Sensory Subcommittee, Modernising Hearing Aid Services Reference Group, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.

Objective: To influence policy in the field of deafness

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Look At Me

In May we co-ordinated the first national Deaf Awareness Week to cover the full spectrum of deafness. Over 200 organisations across the country got involved in the campaign to raise awareness of the communication needs of deaf people, under the slogan Look At Me which highlights the need for visual contact when communicating with deaf people.

This unique collaboration, bringing so many organisations together to campaign on a common theme was a fine example of Action by Working Together

Deaf Awareness Week 2004: 3rd-9th May

Objective: To provide an opportunity for participating organisations to share resources and work together constructively in areas of common concern

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Member Services

The core of our work is to provide Information and Support to our members to enable them to concentrate on what they do best: providing services to deaf people.

• Information Services via Website, Monthly Bulletin, Weekly Parliamentary Report and regular Email Briefings
• Free processing of applications for Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau
• Induction and Networking Day for Trustees of Member Organisations 25th February 2003
• Fundraising Seminar 27th March 2003
• Launch of Network Group for Chairs of Deaf Organisations 11th September 2003

Objective: To provide support to our member organisations

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OfV Grants

• Royal Association for Deaf people, Surrey £17,500 for volunteers to help deaf people eliminate feelings of isolation and provide information
• deafPLUS south £14,250 for advocacy and support for deaf people
• Merseyside Society for Deaf People £14,300 to address the specific needs of deaf and hard of hearing people with additional needs such as learning difficulties and mental health problems
• BID Services for Deaf People £13,700 to involve deaf people from minority communities in setting up and running a sports club for children and a theatre group
• Royal Association for Deaf People, Essex £9,300 for deaf people with learning disabilities to improve communication and social skills
• deafPLUS north £4,300 for provision of a mobile advisory service with information and advice on the latest aids, opportunities and equipment
• dDeaflinks - Staffordshire £12,350 to enable deaf volunteers to deliver a high quality advice and guidance service following training to NVQ2/3 Level
• Cumbria Deaf Association £13,800 for deaf awareness training to health and social care staff so that they can better communicate with deaf and hard of hearing people
• Ann Lloyd Memorial Trust £11,300 for deafblind people to learn new skills and gain access to resources and facilities
• SIGN £10,700 for volunteers to offer advocacy services to deaf people with mental health problems
• Asian Deaf Women's Association £6,000 to train volunteers to work with the families of Deaf Asian Women and Girls, to enable them to access the support that is available to them from within their own community
• Home Counties Cochlear Implant Group £1,500 to recruit and train further volunteers to support cochlear implant users and improve information about cochlear implants
• Stoke Deaf Club £1,200 for volunteers to refurbish kitchen to provide luncheon club for elderly deaf people
• Hertfordshire Hearing Advice Service £3,000 for volunteers to develop greater use of services and increase user involvement in health care quality developments and set up and run further hard of hearing groups

We are one of 17 national agents that distribute grants on behalf of the Department of Health to promote the use of volunteers in the delivery of health services.

During the year we supported 14 projects distributing a total of £133,200

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Financial Summary

Income

Grants, £189,740
Member Fees, £29,850
Sponsorship, £35,574
Generated Income, £21,054

Total Income 2002/2003: £276,218 (2001/2002: £198,838)

Expenditure

Opportunities for Volunteering Grants, £133,200
Charitable Expenditure, £127,054

Total Expenditure 2002/2003: £260,254 (2001/2002: £215,254)
Total Reserves at 31st March 2003: £30,139 (31st March 2002: £14,175)

This year we have seen growth in all areas of income, most notably in Corporate Sponsorship and Generated Income. The small surplus achieved has helped us to move closer to our Reserves Policy target. The increasing strength of our financial position gives us the
confidence to build on our success.

Tom Fenton,
Treasurer

Full Accounts (year end 31st March 2003) from which these figures have been extracted and on which the auditors have issued an unqualified report, will be filed with the Registrar of Companies. Copies can be obtained from UK Council on Deafness or from the website at www.deafcouncil.org.uk/about.htm

We are very grateful to the Department of Health for the Opportunities for Volunteering Grant, the continuing Section 64 Core Costs Grant and additional funding for Deaf Awareness Week publicity material; to Boots Hearingcare for sponsoring our co-ordination of the Look At Me Campaign, to Vodafone for sponsoring our Information Services and to Deaf Alerter and Geemarc Communications for sponsoring the MPs Reception.

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Members - Action by Working Together

Aberdeen & North East Deaf Society.
Action for Tinnitus Research.
The Anne Lloyd Memorial Trust.
Asian Deaf Women's Association.
Association of Lipspeakers.
Association of Sign Language Interpreters.
Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults.
BID Services for Deaf People.
Brent Deaf People's Ltd.
British Association of Audiological Physicians.
British Association of Audiological Scientists.
British Association of AudiologisTs.
British Association of Community Doctors in Audiology.
British Association of Teachers of the Deaf.
British Deaf Association.
British Institute of Verbatim Reporters.
British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists.
British Society of Hearing Therapists.
Cambridgeshire Deaf Association.
Catholic Deaf Association.
Christian Deaf Link UK.
Church of England Committee for Ministry among Deaf and Disabled People.
Cochlear Implanted Children's Support Group.
Co.deaf.
Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People.
Cued Speech Association UK.
Cumbria Deaf Association.
Ddeaf Equality Forward.
Deafax.
Deaf Broadcasting Council.
deafconnect.
Deaf ConneXions.
Deaf Direct.
DELTA Deaf Education through Listening & Talking.
Deaf Ex-Mainstreamers' Group.
Deaf Lincs.
deafPLUS.
Deaf Professionals Network (London).
Deaf Senior Citizens (N.I.).
Deaf Studies Trust.
Deafness Support Network.
Defeating Deafness (Hearing Research Trust).
Dorothy Miles Cultural Centre.
The Ear Foundation.
Ewing Foundation.
Hampshire Deaf Association.
Hard of Hearing Christian Fellowship.
Hartlepool Deaf Centre.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Hearing Concern.
HiYPE!
Home Counties Cochlear Implant Group.
Jane Beech Memorial Fund.
Jewish Deaf Association.
Leicestershire & County Mission for the Deaf.
LINK Centre for Deafened People.
Little Signers Group.
London Ethnic Minority Deaf Association.
Ménière's Society.
Merton Hard of Hearing Resource Centre.
National Association of Deafened People.
National Cochlear Implant Users' Association.
National Deaf Children's Society.
Norfolk Deaf Association.
North Wales Deaf Association.
Nottinghamshire Deaf Society.
Oxfordshire Deaf Children's Society.
Reversed Youth / Children's Provision.
Royal Association for Deaf people.
Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
Scottish Council on Deafness.
Sense - National Deafblind and Rubella Association.
SIGN: The National Society for Mental Health and Deafness.
Slough Deaf Centre.
Special Communication Needs.
STAGETEXT.
Suffolk Deaf Association.
Telecommunications Action Group.
Usher UK.
Walsall Deaf People's Centre.
West Sussex Deaf & Hard of Hearing Association.

New members that have joined this year are shown in italics.

Action by working together

Our work would not be possible without the considerable support we receive from our members. In much of what we do it is our role to harness the energy and resources of a member organisation for the benefit of all. Membership of the Council is open to Charities and Professional Bodies working in the field of deafness.

Our members' interests cover the full spectrum of deafness including deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, deafblind people and, of course, the profoundly Deaf sign language using community. Membership has increased significantly this year and we now have 80 Members. It is our aim to be a service to all organisations working with deaf people and we particularly welcome the many regional organisations that have joined this year.

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Affiliates

Addington Citizens Advice Bureau.
Advanced Bionics UK Ltd.
Boots Hearingcare.
Bradford Primary Care Trust.
Bradford Social Services, Sensory Needs Services.
Braidwood School.
Brighton & Hove Sensory Team.
bss.
Cambridgeshire County Council Sensory Services Team.
City Lit Centre for Deaf People.
Community Paediatric Audiology, Guildford.
Deaf Access.
Deaf Advice Service, Sheffield.
Deaf Alerter.
Deaf Issues Consultancy.
DeafClicks.com.
DeafFriendly.org.
Deafworks.
Derby City Council Social Services Unit for Deaf People.
Derby College for Deaf People.
Disability Employer Outreach Scheme.
The Donaldsons Trust.
Dudley MBC Social Services Disabilities Section.
Dundee Education Department Multi-Sensory Service.
East Sussex Sensory Impairment Team.
Eastbourne Deaf Club.
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Essex Social Services, Sensory North.
Face Us.
Fife Council Deaf Communication Service.
Forest Bookshop.
Geemarc Communications Ltd.
Glasgow City Council Social Work Services.
Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust.
Hamilton Lodge School for Deaf Children.
Hampshire County Council Social Services Department.
Harding Housing Association.
Harrogate & District Deaf Society.
Harrow Association of Disabled People.
Hawkswood School & Centre.
Hearing Enhancement plc.
Heathlands School.
Hertfordshire County Council.
Hull & East Yorkshire Institute for the Deaf.
Island Women's Refuge.
Just Communication.
Kent County Council Social Services Deaf Services Bureau.
Leeds City Council Social Services - Equality Development Unit.
Leeds City Council Modernisation Team, Disability.
Lexicon Interpreting Services.
London Borough of Barnet Sensory Impairment Team.
London Borough of Brent Social Services Deaf & Hard of Hearing Team.
London Borough of Greenwich Community Sensory Services Team.
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Physical Disabilities & Sensory Impairment Unit.
London Borough of Harrow.
Luton Services for Deaf People.
Mayflower Hospitals Ltd.
Med-El UK Ltd.
Meningitis Trust.
NATFHE.
National Centre for Mental Health & Deafness.
National Deaf Services.
North Downham Training Project.
Northamptonshire County Council Sensory Impairment Unit.
Northern Counties School.
Northumberland NHS Care Trust Social Workers with Deaf People.
Northumbria Deaf Mission.
The Nugent Care Society.
Oak Lodge School.
The Oldham College.
Oldham Council for Voluntary Youth Services.
Oxfordshire Social & Health Care, Sensory Impairment Team.
Peterborough City Council, Adult Social Care Department.
Powys County Council.
Quest BSL Ltd.
Redcar, Cleveland & Middlesborough Borough Council.
Remark! Access.
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.
Royal Schools for the Deaf, Manchester.
Sandwell Social Inclusion & Health Deaf Resource Centre.
Schools Hearing Impairment Service, Guernsey.
Scottish Course to Train Tutors of Lipreading.
Sense-Sonic Ltd.
Sensory Communications.
Sensory Impaired Support Group - Ayrshire.
Sensory Support Service, Radcliffe High School.
SignPost.
Slough Library, Arts and Information.
Slough Primary Care Trust.
South of England Cochlear Implant Centre.
South Essex Sensory Team.
South Gloucestershire Social Services Department.
Surrey Social Services, Deaf Services Team.
Teletec International Ltd.
Torbay Social Services.
Vectra Property Consulting Access Consultancy.
Wales Council for the Deaf.
Walsall Social Services.
Warwickshire Social Services, Services to Deaf People Team.
Wessex Association of Deafened People.
Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau.
Westminster Council.

New Affiliated Organisations that joined this year are shown in italics.

Voluntary Organisations, Public Sector Bodies and Companies are eligible to become affiliated to the UK Council on Deafness.

UK Council on Deafness

Westwood Park
London Road
Little Horkesley
Colchester
CO6 4BS
Tel: 01206 274075
Text: 01206 274076
Fax: 01206 274077
info@deafcouncil.org.uk
www.deafcouncil.org.uk
Company Limited by Guarantee Registered (England) No. 2922584 Registered Charity No. 1038448

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