Disability

“Being deaf doesn’t stop me from communicating effectively with colleagues and members of the public who I meet through my work.

“With a grant-funded British Sign Language interpreter, I can participate fully in meetings, take phone calls, give presentations and interact fully with those around me. My career is on the up!”

Andrew Taylor, Information Officer

#DeafAwarenessWeek

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx

• Make sure you have the attention of the person before you start speaking
• Places with good lighting and little or no background noise are best for conversations
• Use plain language, normal lip movements and facial expressions
• Check whether the person understands what you are saying and, if not, try saying it in a different way.
• Keep your voice down as it’s uncomfortable for hearing aid user if you shout.
• Learn basic finger spelling or some basic British Sign Language (BSL)

“Sometimes, when I first meet people, they assume I won’t be able to date them because I’m deaf and they’re hearing, but they soon realise they’re wrong.

“Thanks to my cochlear implant, I can hear – and flirt – very well!”

Ed Rex, romantic

‪#‎DeafAwarenessWeek‬

www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx

“When I was 18 I found out that I had a hereditary, progressive hearing loss. I was told that I would never be able to fulfill my dreams of becoming an opera singer, but I refused to accept this ‘deaf’ sentence.

“Despite being profoundly deaf, I’ve had a successful 30-year career as a soloist – captivating audiences, receiving standing ovations and winning prestigious awards.”

https://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx

This year Action on Hearing Loss is tearing up society’s assumptions about people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

They are turning the spotlight on the incredible things they CAN do. With your help, and busting the myths and accentuating the positive during daily discussions.

Tell them your story

They are determined to realise a society that is truly deaf aware. Communicating people’s stories is helping us get there.

That’s why they would love you to tell them – and the wider world – about your personal experience of deafness or hearing loss, whether it’s yours or that of a friend or relative.

If you would like to help raise awareness through sharing your experiences, please tell them your story
www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/tell-your-story.aspx

Action on Hearing Loss www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx