"I recognise the importance placed on British Sign Language by many in the deaf community and their desire to make sure it thrives as a language.  Malcolm Bruce MP, the Chair of the APPG on Deafness, has been campaigning for legislation on this issue and for greater availability of signers and interpreters.  He and many others will be pleased to know my department is inviting organisations to bid for a project testing an approach to improving demand for and use of British Sign Language in a particular area or region.  It is important that parents with deaf children are aware of BSL and can make informed choices as to its use with their children.  We also need to share the expertise we have in those schools and colleges that use BSL amongst mainstream services"

 

COMPETITIVE GRANT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROJECT TO IMPROVE BRITISH SIGN  LANGUAGE PROVISION AND STATUS FOR FAMILIES OF DEAF AND HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (please click here for Word Document).

 

 

 

At the AGM of the Group, held on 13 May 2008 the following officers were elected for the next 12 months:

 

President: Lord Ashley
Chair: Malcolm Bruce MP
Vice Chairs: Rosie Cooper MP, Tim Loughton MP, Tom Levitt MP, Baroness Wilkins

 

The next meeting of the group is on Wednesday 21 May and the subject is Cochlear Implants.

 

Gallaudet University President Open Forum 

On 22nd May President Robert Davila of Gallaudet University will be stopping in London for an open forum to give a talk on his philosophies and inspirations for Gallaudet University.  The meeting is organised by Healthy Deaf Minds (HDM) and the British Deaf Association (BDA) and is hosted by UCL’s Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL). Gallaudet University in the USA is the only university founded especially for Deaf students, and is the world leader in educational programmes and career development for deaf and hard-of-hearing undergraduate students. The University enjoys an international reputation for the outstanding graduate programs it provides deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students, as well as for the quality of the research it conducts on the history, language, culture, and other topics related to deaf people. Davila holds honorary degrees from Gallaudet, RIT, Stonehill College, and Hunter College. He is the recipient of numerous awards and a prolific speaker and author on topics related to deaf education and the empowerment of deaf people. The forum will take place on Thursday 22nd May 2008 6-9pm.  It is being held in the Roberts Building at UCL (room 106). For more information and directions to the event please email m.laverty@ucl.ac.uk  

Hearing Dogs Summer Fayre 2008 

Fun for everyone – including the dog! Where? The Grange in Saunderton, Princes Risborough, Bucks – entry off Haw Lane. Sunday 8 June 2008 between 11am and 5pm. Working dog demonstrations; have-a-go agility; flyball tournament; children’s activities; crafts, stalls and side shows; presentation of the Hearing Dog of the Year Awards. VIP guests include Esther Rantzen who’ll present the Desmond Wilcox Volunteer of the Year Award. Tickets available from event organiser Ruth Dunkin T 01844 348 136 


National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

From June 2008 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will be opening its standing committee meetings to observers from the public and press. Holding committee meetings in public supports the Institute’s commitment to having processes for developing guidance that are rigorous, open and transparent. It will also allow consultees and stakeholders to understand the basis for the acceptance or rejection of the various forms of evidence that are considered and illustrates how the committees take account of the evidence submitted by stakeholders and consultees. The dates for the first Committee meetings to be open to the public are: Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee – 12 June 2008; Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee – 11 July 2008; Technology Appraisals Advisory Committee – 18 September 2008. More information about attending these meetings can be found at http://www.nice.org.uk/newsevents/