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In this Bulletin
Welcome to this month's new member
CHANGE campaigns for the equal rights for all people with learning disabilities including those with sensory impairments through producing accessible information.
Contact Philipa Bragman, Director
Unit 19-20, Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds, LS7 1AB
Tel 0113 243 0202
Text 0113 243 2225
Fax 0113 243 0220
Email changepeople@btconnect.com
Web www.changepeople.co.uk
Welcome to this month's new Affiliate Organisations
Full contact details can be found in the Directory of Affiliated Organisations at www.deafcouncil.org.uk/affila.htm
Affiliation is open to Voluntary Organisations, Public Sector Bodies and Companies that work with or want to be accessible to deaf people. Please contact us if your organisation would like to affiliate.
The DRC, BDA and RNID have jointly produced Guidance on providing BSL/English interpreters under the Disability Discrimination Act for employers, trade organisations and service providers. The guidance aims to address the uncertainty that surrounds the use of interpreters, explains what BSL is, who uses it and how the provision of interpreters can remove barriers to communication. Copies are available from the websites of the three organisations.
Deaf Awareness Week: 3rd - 9th May
Deaf Awareness Week is a unique awareness campaign bringing together nearly 100 deaf charities and organisations under the umbrella of the UK Council on Deafness. Lots of events are being organised by our member and affiliate organisations around the country during the week. We have free posters, leaflets and a logo that you can use in conjunction with your own publicity materials. The posters encourage people to look at someone who is deaf or hard of hearing when communicating, so that they can see people's lips and facial expression. The leaflet displays interesting facts about deafness and gives examples of ways the public and businesses can become more accessible to deaf people. These materials will be distributed via national and local charities, NHS Audiology departments, libraries and schools.
There are more than 50 events listed on the campaign website, from an invitation from Sign to join them in Beaconsfield at Simply Samba a Brazilian Extravaganza on Monday 3rd May to an Art Exhibition of work produced by young deaf people in Glasgow hosted by NDCS on Sunday 9th May. Do send us full details of your activities during that week.
The campaign will also be celebrating the proactive access policies implemented by major UK companies and organisations to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people are treated fairly and have equal access.
B & Q, Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham International Airport, The Greater London Authority, Sadler's Wells, Toyota, Nottingham City Hospital and University of Wolverhampton are just a few of the organisations that are featured on the campaign website.
To order copies of the posters and leaflets or to have your event listed on the campaign website contact Sylvie Say on s.say@deafcouncil.org.uk
Access to Communication in English Campaign
The campaign to promote the use of Language and Communication Access Professionals (LACAPs) - including Speech to Text Reporters, Lipspeakers, Notetakers, Cued Speech Transliterators and Deafblind Communicators - has received a welcome boost from the Department of Work & Pensions with a grant to fund the coordination of the campaign. Over the next 12 months UK Council on Deafness will be working with member organisations to identify the short- medium- and long-term strategies needed to increase the use of LACAPs whilst maintaining the quality of provision. Member organisations interested in participating in the campaign can get further details from Jonathan Isaac j.isaac@deafcouncil.org.uk
Recognition of sign language in Northern Ireland
Paul Murphy, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced the formal recognition of British and Irish Sign Language on 29 March. Speaking at a reception at Hillsborough Castle to mark the success of the European Year of People with Disabilities, Mr Murphy said: "Sign Language is the preferred means of communication of 4,500 of the 17,000 people in the Province and, of course, it is also used by a significant number of their families and friends." As well as helping to raise awareness of the particular requirements of deaf people, this recognition will also see the 11 Northern Ireland Government Departments joining forces to work proactively in partnership with representatives of the Deaf community to develop ideas for improving access to public services. The Secretary of State explained that such improvements could, for example, include the provision of more tutors of sign language, better interpretation services and the installation of specialist equipment in public offices.
Supporting Deaf Students in Further and Higher Education Conference - 8th June
An opportunity to learn how to prepare deaf pupils for life at college and university and how best to support deaf students in FE and HE from examples of good practice. The conference will include dissemination from the highly successful Full Potential project run by the Royal Association for Deaf People, findings from a European Research Project into the needs of deaf students and first hand experiences from students. To book your place contact Sylvie Say s.say@deafcouncil.org.uk
The British Society for Mental Health & Deafness Annual Conference, Mental Health Services for Deaf People - Achieving Equity and Access will be held on Thursday 27th May 2004 at the Angel Hotel, Cardiff. The Keynote Address will be given by Jane Hutt, the Welsh Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services. The programme includes presentations from Margaret du Feu, Consultant in Psychiatry, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham and Phil Chick, Director of Mental Health at the Welsh Assembly. To book your place contact Sylvie Say, BSMHD, Westwood Park, London Road, Little Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4BS. Email s.say@deafcouncil.org.uk
At the Access to the NHS conference on 30th March the RNID launched A Simple Cure, a national report into deaf and hard of hearing people's experiences of the National Health Service. The report was produced following a survey conducted in partnership with UK Council on Deafness member organisations across the country and is available to national and local organisations to support the campaign for better access to health services.
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