Promoting social inclusion of those with hearing loss
Graeme recently visited Tayside Deaf Hub to highlight Deaf Awareness Week.
Tayside Deaf Hub is a community hub, home to Deaf Links, Dundee Deaf Sport & Social Club and Tayside Deaf Forum. The Hub reflects the needs of Deaf and sensory impaired people in Tayside and works with and within the community to create inclusion, equality and participation for all.
Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event used to celebrate the deaf community. It aims to bring to light the barriers that people who are deaf and those with hearing loss face in society. The week also generates awareness of British Sign Language, spreading the form of communication to make society a more accessible place for people with hearing loss. By educating ourselves on learning key communication tips and recognising the importance of the deaf community, together we can take steps to be more inclusive and celebrate diversity.
Deaf Links run services, activities and learning that truly reflect the needs of deaf and sensory impaired people in the area, empowering them to become equal and active members of the communities they live in.
Graeme visited Tayside Deaf Hub, where he spoke with CEO Alana Harper about how we can better support the deaf community in Angus.
People who are deaf or have hearing loss are 50% more likely to have poor mental health so it is vitally important that we show support to the deaf community.
GRAEME
It is always a pleasure to meet with Alana and the rest of the Tayside Deaf Hub Team. They do a fantastic job supporting the deaf community throughout Angus and Tayside.
I was particularly heartened to hear about their new violence against deaf women programme which is the first of its kind in the country.
Mr Dey has always taken a genuine and active interest in the issues faced by Deaf and sensory impaired people in Angus and we very much appreciate his continued support.
ALANA HARPER, CEO OF TAYSIDE DEAF HUB
He makes a point of staying abreast of our services and activities, so was pleased to hear about the progress being made within our DefiniTAY project, the first dedicated advocacy service in Scotland for Deaf women who have been affected by gender based violence, in partnership with Dundee, Angus and Perthshire Women’s Aid.