English HoH charities taking funds away from Wales ?

Welsh deaf groups are consistently failing to present issues of deafness and sign language in Wales, at the Welsh National Assembly and are allowing Hard of Hearing Charities to take credit for deaf representation's. Recent Byddar Cymru posts have highlighted the lack of involvement by 'Deaf' representation in Wales to face up where it counts, nil deaf turning up, and allowing hard of hearing charities to claim kudos for support for deaf people they haven't provided, and to claim an voice that has never had an mandate for, to present an entirely false impression of deaf support in order to lobby for funding which ISN'T going to go to deaf people.. and claimed via English based charities.

Is Wales getting it share of funding ? or is funding for deaf being diverted to bolster support for HoH in England ? Recent funding application from AOHL have contained videos of ENGLISH support options. Wales deaf need an survey of charities based in England. operating in Wales, and applying for funds from the Welsh Assembly, is it going TO welsh deaf or not ? What input from Welsh deaf is involved ?

The Welsh Assembly (The Senedd) has had next to no input from deaf signing charities in many months, in some cases over an year, and again have failed to attend a meeting with ministers concerned with providing access for deaf people to NHS and mental health support options. If these signing groups are to have ANY following at all, they have to be seen. The shameful business-like and block publicity approach of HoH charities at the Senedd to infer 'Deaf' support, is completely unacceptable and of course presenting an inaccurate message to the ministers in Wales of deaf need. Not withstanding most printed matter provided is not complying with the equal access laws for the welsh language.

HoH charities do NOT present deaf interests, this is an truism, this isn't promoting any divide, the divide is ALREADY There. Why hasn't the London-run charity AOHL agreed to cut loose RNID Cymru so welsh deaf have autonomy ? Why is there NO deaf input at the welsh annex of the English-run RNID ? We demand an answer to English-speaking based charities running Welsh services.

WELSH TRANSLATION:

Grwpiau fyddar Cymru yn methu'n gyson i gyflwyno materion yn ymwneud â byddardod ac iaith arwyddion yng Nghymru, yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru ac yn cael eu caniatáu Thrwm eu Clyw Elusennau i gymryd y clod am gynrychiolaeth fyddar. Swyddi diweddar Byddar Cymru wedi tynnu sylw at y diffyg cyfranogiad gan 'Byddar' gynrychiolaeth yng Nghymru i wynebu i fyny, lle mae'n cyfrif, dim troi i fyny fyddar, a chaniatáu trwm eu clyw elusennau i hawlio clod am gymorth ar gyfer pobl fyddar nad ydynt wedi darparu, a i hawlio llais erioed wedi cael mandad i, i gyflwyno argraff hollol ffug o gefnogaeth fyddar er mwyn i lobïo am ariannu NAD YW mynd i fynd i bobl fyddar .. a hawliwyd drwy elusennau a leolir yn Saesneg.

A yw Cymru yn ei gael cyfran o arian? neu yn ariannu ar gyfer pobl fyddar yn cael ei ddargyfeirio i hybu cefnogaeth i HoH yn Lloegr? Cais am arian diweddar gan AOHL wedi cynnwys fideos o opsiynau cefnogi SAESNEG. Cymru yn fyddar angen arolwg o elusennau sy'n gweithio yng Nghymru. gweithredu yng Nghymru, ac yn gwneud cais am gyllid gan Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru, mae'n mynd I fyddar Cymraeg ai peidio? Beth mewnbwn gan Cymraeg byddar yn cymryd rhan?

Mae Cynulliad Cymru (y Senedd) wedi cael nesaf i unrhyw fewnbwn gan elusennau arwyddo fyddar yn ystod y misoedd lawer, mewn rhai achosion dros flwyddyn, ac unwaith eto wedi methu â mynychu cyfarfod gyda gweinidogion ymwneud â darparu mynediad ar gyfer pobl fyddar i GIG ac iechyd meddwl opsiynau cefnogaeth. Os bydd y grwpiau hyn arwyddo i gael UNRHYW canlynol o gwbl, rhaid iddynt gael eu gweld. Mae'r gywilyddus busnes-fel a bloc dull chyhoeddusrwydd o elusennau HoH yn y Senedd i ddod i'r casgliad 'Byddar' cefnogaeth, yn gwbl annerbyniol ac wrth gwrs, yn cyflwyno neges anghywir i weinidogion yng Nghymru o angen byddar. Nid yw mater er gwaethaf y rhan fwyaf o argraffu a ddarperir yn cydymffurfio â'r deddfau mynediad cyfartal ar gyfer yr iaith Gymraeg.

NID elusennau HoH yn cyflwyno buddiannau fyddar, mae hwn yn ystrydeb, nid yw hyn yn hyrwyddo unrhyw rhannu'r, y rhaniad yn EISOES Mae yna. Pam nad yw'r elusen wedi Llundain sy'n cael ei rhedeg AOHL cytuno i dorri yn rhydd RNID Cymru, felly Cymraeg byddar fod yn annibynnol? Pam fod NA mewnbwn fyddar yn y atodiad Cymraeg yr RNID Saesneg sy'n cael ei rhedeg? Rydym yn galw am ateb i'r Saesneg eu hiaith elusennau sydd wedi'u lleoli yn rhedeg gwasanaethau Cymraeg.

Steve Day At Penarth

Britain's only deaf comedian is in Wales. Where is it ? HERE

THE PILOT, PENARTH.

Come To Cardiff, stop deaf club closures !

The Hardest Hit Campaign - Welsh Rally
Saturday 22nd October 2011

Disabled people, their families and friends will be taking to the streets of Cardiff to protest against Government cuts to disability benefits and services. A march and rally in the capital will show how strongly pan-disability groups across Wales feel about welfare reform.

Protests are planned in cities including Edinburgh, Cardiff, Leeds, Nottingham, Brighton, Manchester, Newcastle and Bristol with more locations expected to follow.
The Welsh Rally will take place on Saturday 22nd October in Cardiff.
More details will be posted here soon.

To register your interest email: wales@hardesthit.org.uk

ATR at the Senedd (The third part)

Part of charity display was about their intention to attend more and more deaf clubs in Wales to raise awareness,but two issues raise questions, one, in that near ALL Welsh deaf clubs are facing severe cuts and closures, the other point is that Deaf people mostly signing at these clubs are non-supporters of the charity or, use hearing aids, an point made painfully clear by their non-showing at the assembly.

I had an particular interest in the Mental health area, and was keen to see this issue raised given there appeared an strong showing of interested parties with suitable placards which were there for the photo opportunities. However the issue was NOT raised with Jane Hutt there and nobody took the onus of using the microphone to point out the Senedd shortcomings in withdrawing support for an dedicated welsh service.

We are all in attendance issued with an folder showing all the photographs of the politicians who would be there (An good idea given deaf go by features), and, whom we would be able to talk to about issues of concern. A point made by Jane Hutt, who apparently was unaware most had failed to attend ! and many of the others left after she spoke. I DID manage to corner one person there,in fact an person I has been in contact with 5 days previously, and was in effect brushed off especially when I asked why the Senedd health Minister had refused to fund an dedicated welsh MH service, which meant deaf people were 'deported' to England for treatment, he was quick to get away from me.

Perhaps this charity needs to address how the Senedd treats it's customers ? If this is the Senedd idea of listening to the people, deaf were singularly unimpressed ! He also said he was some 'middle-man', that is his job was there to screen enquiries to the minister re relevance. So raising this issue was not relevant ? he didn't say that when the charity was there ! How can deaf read TWO faces at the same time ? had the charity provided communication support we could have had an field day exposing this duplicity.

I'd made a point of raising MH issues because I knew the politicians concerned would be there yesterday. He was uninterested frankly and left to talk with hearing people because, the charity although inviting users to put points, had no communication support organised so we could do it, a few more deafies with more about them would have made this meeting relevant. I was waiting for an question-answer section and it never happened, what occurred was we were told to "Meet the politicians at the coffee area (!) and quick before they left for 'other duties', it was farcical in that most had already left anyway.

In fairness I found Richard of the charity willing to listen, but the point was enabling US to put these questions ourselves, we aren't unable, but communication support was an must that wasn't there or organised. I felt excluded really. If he wants to make inroads he is going to have to challenge these people head on. Who knows the charity might even gain some respect from hard-pressed deafies with apparently no representation in Wales at present. I don't think he was aware most of the politicians we needed to talk with had either not arrived or had left early or even sent 'subs' in their place whom we would never recognise, what point photos of people who weren't there ?

Given the meet was in the Senedd 'lunchtime' the whole thing looked like an photo shoot and not much more.

Jane Hutt praised the charity for providing signed access (why didn't THEY provide it ?), "Or we would not have been able to understand the deaf.." erm it still didn't happen ! Just because you see an interpreter does not mean most there were signing or even profoundly deaf. The 'image' of sign language was one which was NOT used to maximise deaf effect, it is clear despite brand name changes and emphasis of this charity,they needed sign there because sign language was an universal ID via mainstream of deaf people. OK WE know it isn't, but clearly this charity knows how to use sign to plug issues of hard of hearing, as deaf got no mention, a lot more should have been done to invite the deaf sign user, empower us, not speak FOR us..

So they use sign and not the signers ? Bit of duality there I think ! I'd already described in part one blog, how it was physically difficult to even see the support. This was an charity providing an service as legal requirement, but it would have looked better to have had the deaf invited and, the Senedd providing the support.

If ever there was an need for the deaf to get involved this shambolic exhibition was an prime example, it gave very misleading impressions of deaf involvement and indeed deaf representation. Should we blame this charity for not doing what it says on the label ? or the dedicated sign-using charities and reps for letting Deaf welsh people down ? There are few opportunities as it is for deaf to meet their representative politicians from their own areas on any level footing, and this was yet another opportunity lost again.

For goodness sake get OFF your computers and show your faces where it counts. There is no doubt this particular charity has no 'ear' at all to deaf people, and was painfully obvious yesterday, so what do welsh deaf DO about it ? This charity also claims to have trebled BSL interpreters in Wales. Although my understanding was the BDA and this charity gained funding from EUROPE so didn't do it alone. There you go BDA you don't speak for yourself someone else will, and take the credit for it..

ATR At the Senedd (The second part).

Having thus explained in part one the physical area and access, I would like now to move on to the nitty gritty of events proceedings. Richard Williams opened with the usual charity spiel and explaining the charities purpose, and nods to the the Assemblies great and not so..... Curiously an dvd about Milton Keynes 'Hear to help' project was shown, which might have made more impact if from some welsh area, given Milton Keynes is part of southern ENGLAND (!) and should have been the subject as we were at the seat of WELSH politics and raising issues of Welsh deaf and hard of hearing..

Hear To Help is I confess an area I find totally obscure to be honest, whilst I can appreciate their might (As we were told), be many 90 yr olds in Wales who don't know their left from their right ear or how to remove wax from tubing, or for some inexplicable reason cannot tell when wearing two aids, which goes in which ear despite each being made specially, I find the questions are more about:

(1)Why does an welsh health (Audiology) service, issue hearing aids and then don't instruct users on their use or offer them back up ? Apparently and farcically, you have to label aids so people know either red or blue, which was cue for political unfunnies about politics. The issue the charity is suggesting, is this is leaving people with aids still unable to utlise them properly should surely be the first issue to address ?

(2) Why we are expecting charities to provide these 'services' instead ? It's conveyor belt approach from Welsh Audiology, give 'em an hearing aid, get rid..... next !

(3) Why are charities so eager to do it instead of lobbying the welsh NHS to do what it is paid for, and leave that support at the whim of the begging bowl ?

In part of description of H2H was that Wales was populated by dotty old people, and veered towards patronisation. We know politicians are more than happy others do it for next to nothing, it is why they court charities, even if they don't back it up with cash to make it workable.... Whilst Jane Hutt's speech was fawning of charity she made the political point cuts and 'delivery' of services was under constraint.

I desperately wanted to nail her down as to why she withdrew support for deaf MH services and thus looked hypocritical as did the charity for not taking the option there and then to highlight it. This was charity playing at politics. Not a pretty sight. What I saw is "Here is what we do, can you get us more money ?" and not an user in sight. I was uncomfortable with the very business-like approaches of the charity and the desire to be in politics too. What should have made politicians uncomfortable wasn't even apparent. They work for US, we don't work for them (OK we do pay their wages too !).

What H2H identified was NOT helping older people with hearing aids, but actually providing contact services for those isolated, it could be by hearing loss or any number of other reasons not to do with hearing loss. I'm sure Age concern can enlighten..

A worthy aim, but I'd rather educate politicians and lean on them, and Joe public to do more than lip-service.. One elderly lady apparently was deaf for 6 out of 7 days a week because she didn't know how to remove wax from aid tubing, neither did her once a week family visitor, and she lived miles from anyone. I would have thought a few questions raised there before an charity turns up ! Assuming it was necessary to show this person how to clean an hearing aid tube, is it then necessary to return time and time again ? This then moves AWAY from aid services to something else surely ?

The argument used is providing an service the state isn't, but helping people in isolation is not the job description of audiologists. The focus was on elderly aid users mainly, which was blatant stereotyping. We've got 19yr olds with ipods already half way there....

No wonder Jane Hutt was happy to see charity doing her job, which should be organising an proper health service approach to those with hearing aids. I found the level of patronisation very high, do hearing aid users really not know left from right ?

ATR At the Senedd (The first part).

The upper balcony where the 'awareness' took place.

Not my usual bag to attend these photo shoots for charities, but as the invite said anyone could turn up and then put issues to political representatives, I felt bound to turn up. Firstly I will explain the set ups. The event was to present 'loss issues' at the assembly by an welsh charity for the hard of hearing. Really speaking the 'open' aspect of the meeting invite, was not intended for actual users of services, but those who provide charitable services for them, which I found off-putting..

ACCESS: There was an BSL interpreter there to cover proceedings (2 in fact), but that was only matched by the 2 deaf signers that turned up, there was hardly any deaf people par se in attendance at all. The rest were predominantly carers, audiologists, and charity workers of various descriptions, political hangers-on, some sightseers, and those always there for an photo-shoot opportunity. Mainly hearing aid users ruled the day. It was very disappointing from any deaf view, but no-one seemed bothered if the deaf turned up or not. It was annoying no signing representatives took any interest, as we needed desperately to raise deaf profile at the Political heart of wales.

I have to state I thought the area set aside was very poor from an deaf and from an hearing impaired point of view, it was from an balcony area overlooking the main entrance, and alongside an lift access for disabled, which meant when disabled in wheelchairs came to the Senedd, they would have to wheel straight through the charity meeting whilst in progress. Whether this was the charities fault or the constraint demands made by the Senedd I don't know, either way it wasn't good enough. It looked like an quick fix really. Everyone had to stand as well, including one or two who were on crutches from Swansea. Unless you had hearing and were at the front of the crowd I doubt you would follow anything.

I was disappointed users of services were apparently less at front than the charity itself. Service provision is about US I would have thought not the charity. No users came forward to put the case,and there was no Question-Answer sessions, just speeches. Both sign users and those requiring text access (Also provided), had very little chance to utilise either, as everyone had to stand and unless you were at the front, could not see the interpreter or the text displayed very poorly on an projected screen, which has its back to the light (Which meant vision was occasionally difficult at any distance and because the strong light behind the projected screen rendered the text almost invisible at times from the front to read. ATR had to (Rather rudely sorry !), elbow his way to the front to have any idea what was happening.

No attempt was made to ensure those needing signed and text access were placed where they could maximise it. All in all the access as per hard of hearing and the deaf, would have been better placed to the rear of the balcony where there was more room and better lighting. A few chairs would have helped too ! I was not aware if an loop was present, I asked an aid user who said there wasn't.

End of first part.

DAC needs New Trustees

CONTACT

You don't HAVE to settle for signed access...

(As part of IDA week)....Many hearing people, who have had little interaction with deaf people, assume that all deaf people use British Sign Language.

This is simply not the case. Whilst British Sign Language is a thriving language, with tens of thousands of fluent users in the UK, there are many others types of communication support which enable deaf and hard of hearing people to communicate.

Video Relay:

This enables deaf people who use sign language to have a conversation with a hearing person using an interpreter via a web cam. Previously deaf people had to rely on an outdated phone service called TypeTalk for phone conversations. This connected them to an operator who would type out what the other person was saying, one line at a time. Not ideal when English isn’t your first language or for complicated conversations.

With Video Relay a deaf person can call an interpreter who connects with the hearing person. The deaf person follows the sign language on the screen (either on a computer or special phone) and the hearing person can listen to the interpreter. This also enables shorter meetings to take place without the cost and hassle of booking an interpreter. Whilst the service is not yet on-demand, it is heading that way soon hopefully!

Speech to Text:

Speech to Text Reporters (STTRs) or Palantypists are trained to type at the speed of speech. They use a special phonetic keyboard, much like a court reporter to produce scrolling text, which is displayed on a screen. This allows deaf people to read what is being, as its being said.

STTRs are fantastic for deaf and hard of hearing people whose first language is written and spoken English. They provide the reassurance of not missing out on anything, meaning deaf people can feel confident about contributing in meetings and conferences. There is a dire shortage of STTRs, with no courses running for new ones to train.

Note-takers:

Electronic note-takers take notes using a laptop keyboard, whilst manual note-takers take written notes, which a deaf person can read during a meeting or event. They provide an excellent back-up for hard of hearing people or deaf people who are confident lip readers.

Much like STTRs there is a chronic shortage of note-takers, although there are training courses. The problem is worse in Scotland, Ireland and Wales where there are very few note-takers or STTRs There are only 51 STTRs and note-takers working in the UK today. There are nine million deaf and hard of hearing people.

Remote Captioning:

Remote Captioning is a revolutionary new service enabling deaf people to follow what is being as it is being said without the need for an interpreter to be present in the room. An electronic note-taker or Speech to Text Reporter listens to what is being said using either Skype or a telephone. They type what they hear and the text is displayed on a website. The text is produced at the speed of speech and can be displayed on a computer, laptop, iPad or smart phone so deaf people can follow what is being said, as it’s being said.

This reduces costs and enables deaf people to book shorter meetings with less notice. It requires a connection to the internet, but there’s nothing to download or install. It goes some way to alleviate the shortage of note-takers and STTRs as they are able to fit shorter meetings into their diaries, or fill in days when they don’t have any bookings without having to travel. For example, an STTR in Surrey can cover a conference in Sheffield at short notice and without any travel costs.

Lip speakers:

Lip speakers are hearing people trained to silently repeat back what has been said to a deaf person using clear lip movements. For deaf people who don’t use sign language, or perhaps when having a note-taker present isn’t practical, a lip speaker offers the communication support vital to ensuring the deaf person understands what is being said. But guess what? There are only 40 registered lip speakers in the UK. Have a read of a Day in the Life of a lip speaker to see whether it’s a career that might interest you or someone you know.

Lip-reading:

Not to be confused with lip-speaking – remember a lipspeaker can hear what is being said – lip-reading is how many deaf people follow what is being in day-to-day life. It was how Tina Lannin decoded what was being said by William and Catherine on their big day.

It is very challenging however, as the RNID has highlighted with a series of videos this week.

When speaking with a deaf person who is trying to lip-read what you are saying remember a few key things, don’t shout – it distorts your lip movement, talk in a well lit area, if needed repeat and rephrase what you’re saying and give it some context. A lot of lip-reading is guess-work so the more there is to guess from the better.

Awareness about these different forms of communication support is poor for both hearing and deaf people. If you are hearing, always ask a deaf person what method they prefer. It’s also very important to note that all of the above forms of communication support can be funded by Access to Work and for students, the DSA.

Gleision Colliery

Byddar Cymru extends heartfelt sympathy to the families of the mining dead.

Byddar Cymru yn ymestyn cydymdeimlad diffuant i deuluoedd y meirw mwyngloddio.

Background

Open Letter to Welsh Minister of Health.

Hi

My name is (name/address/area withheld here for privacy reasons), I am profoundly deaf and Live in ********. I recently read the Assembly minister for health has rejected the suggested provision of an dedicated Mental health Service and Nurses to deaf people, can I have more information on this, and, why our deaf people are being sent away from Wales for treatments and diagnosis's to Bristol, Bath and London or Manchester instead ?

It must be appreciated this undermines those deaf with Mental health Issues being able to utilise local services and ease of access for their relatives to support them. A number are sent to English Hospitals never to return to Wales. If an hearing person can access local mental health teams then why cannot the deaf person ? There are sign language interpreters to assist Dr's here.

It is outrageous the Minister has turned down deaf sign language support (In many cases the sole means Dr's can use to diagnose treatment), which is an legal right under the law, perhaps the Minister can be made aware the Assembly is in breach of Human Rights too. The Minster also turned down an suggested dedicated service to specialise in Deaf mental Health in Wales, again an disgraceful attempt to save money, which in reality doesn't, since the Assembly then has to finance specialist areas in England. I would appreciate some clarifications on this. Not only is the Minister refusing an basic right of access to localised MH teams, but is 'deporting' deaf people to England, and depriving them of family support to aid recovery.

Thank You

For the welsh Speaker.

Hi

Fy enw i yw (enw / cyfeiriad / ardal yma dal yn ôl am resymau preifatrwydd), yr wyf yn hollol fyddar a Byw mewn ********. Yn ddiweddar, yn darllen y gweinidog y Cynulliad ar gyfer iechyd wedi gwrthod y ddarpariaeth yn awgrymu y Gwasanaeth iechyd meddwl penodol a Nyrsys i bobl fyddar, gallaf gael rhagor o wybodaeth am hyn, ac, pam ein pobl fyddar yn cael eu hanfon i ffwrdd o Gymru ar gyfer triniaethau a diagnosis i Bryste, Caerfaddon a Llundain neu Fanceinion yn lle hynny?

Rhaid sylweddoli hyn yn tanseilio rhai sy'n fyddar â materion iechyd meddwl yn gallu defnyddio gwasanaethau lleol a rhwyddineb mynediad am eu perthnasau i'w cefnogi. Mae nifer yn cael eu hanfon i Ysbytai Saesneg byth i ddychwelyd i Gymru. Os gall person gwrandawiad mynediad thimau iechyd meddwl lleol, yna pam na all y person byddar? Mae dehonglwyr iaith arwyddion i gynorthwyo Dr yma.

Mae'n warthus mae'r Gweinidog wedi gwrthod arwyddo byddar cymorth iaith (Mewn llawer o achosion yr unig yn golygu y gall Dr yn eu defnyddio i wneud diagnosis o driniaeth), sydd yn hawl cyfreithiol o dan y gyfraith, efallai y gall y Gweinidog fod yn ymwybodol y Cynulliad yn torri Dynol Hawliau hefyd. Mae'r Gweinidog hefyd wedi gwrthod gwasanaeth yn awgrymu ymroddedig i arbenigo mewn Iechyd Byddar meddwl yng Nghymru, unwaith eto ymgais warthus i arbed arian, sydd mewn gwirionedd nid yw'n, ers i'r Cynulliad wedyn i ariannu'r meysydd arbenigol yn Lloegr. Byddwn yn gwerthfawrogi rhywfaint o eglurhad ar hyn. Nid yn unig y mae'r Gweinidog yn gwrthod hawl sylfaenol i gael mynediad i dimau iechyd meddwl lleol, ond mae 'alltudio' pobl fyddar i Loegr, ac yn eu hamddifadu o gefnogaeth i deuluoedd i gynorthwyo adferiad.

Diolch

Mental Health Support for Deaf Welsh 'outrageous'.

There are no mental health services for Deaf people in Wales. When people in Wales are very unwell they have difficulty accessing the specialist hospitals in England. This situation is outrageous.

SignHealth, along with other organisations in Wales, was asked to produce a report for the Welsh Health Minister. This report examined the problems faced by Deaf people experiencing mental distress in Wales. It also made recommendations which would lead to the creation of a basic mental health service appropriate for Deaf people.

One recommendation was for three Community Psychiatric Nurses to be appointed, with support from a BSL interpreter, psychologists and consultants. These CPNs could have provided a great deal of support – just as they often do for hearing people. This recommendation would only have cost approximately £300,000 for the whole of Wales.

Unfortunately, the Welsh Minister rejected the report and dismissed the recommendations. That means Deaf people in Wales who are experiencing mental health problems have to battle to access a service – precisely what someone with a mental health problem is unlikely to do. Not getting access to a service means that the distress is likely to get worse and be more difficult to support in the future (and more costly).

SignHealth is now working with a Local Health Board and social workers in Wales to try and establish a service in part of Wales. This is not ideal as it means services will vary depending on where you live. But, it will at least give some people in Wales a better service than they now get.

Deafness-no bar to Music in Cardiff.

Hear Here! will be presenting ‘Deafness – no bar to music’, a workshop specifically targeted at those who work in the arts, whether in education, programming or administration. The workshop will be presented by three leading deaf professionals: Paul Whittaker OBE, mezzo-soprano Janine Roebuck and flautist Ruth Montgomery. The workshop will offer help, advice and support about how professionals in the arts can reach the deaf community.

‘Deafness – no bar to music’ takes place in Cardiff on 27 May at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Workshops are free but numbers are strictly limited.

CONTACT

Welsh deaf culture, soon to be history ?

A sort of 'State of non-union' blog really.....First congratulations to Nottinghamshire re the launch of their new website, obviously an forward-thinking deaf area. We can only dream of an website here, we don't even use social sites that much, and the sole message board hasn't had an post of any nature for ages. A few years ago there was an feeble attempt, but it had no support and even less nous. The ability is there, the will certainly is not.

Be it the BDA or the charity not worthy of an mention, support is non-extant to an large degree. We've tried to encourage deaf clubs in Wales to take an more pro-active approach as well, since unless they start using their buildings, and expertise as Nottingham did to generate some income, they will lose them all. My area has already lost theirs, and deaf youth divided from deaf older people. This was apparently by choice too. Forget community here ! we've seen no deaf children nor ethnic deaf in clubs.

Deaf youth has moved twice in 6/7 months already and young deaf look like being nomads for the foreseeable future. Nearby Cwmbran seems to be in an different venue every other month, their facebook site is virtually unused as well.

I understand Cardiff is trying to save theirs too, after the Local Authority said it wasn't going to subsidise any more. Sadly there is little or no interest in preserving clubs at all. Our deaf youth are just not interested. The nomadic nature of deaf people who traverse the country to chat 'under the lamp' has meant there is no visible localised representation to preserve things. Local Authorities are now just looking to their own areas, and not paying for deaf from other areas to use facilities they pay towards. The strength of deaf in numbers was exposed as an myth, as each club depended on other clubs members to boost numbers.

This means that there is no numerical support in any local area to keep, or fight for what they have. I rather fear deaf culture in as much as there is one in Wales is on borrowed time. We've lost the dedicated buildings, and despite 36 years of free rent and subsidy my area enjoyed, members never bothered to save for that rainy day, the rapid capitulation to agreeing for closure was an shock to older deaf people, less than 8 years prior to that 300 deaf got together and blocked it, this time around no-one did.

All over bar the feeble shouting ? There is no drive to raise funds for an new one, or promote aspects of an deaf welsh culture. We are utterly dependent on the church providing an room for the elderly, who are certainly entitled to sit back a bit and let youth do some work, but it is not happening. Youth decided they didn't want prayers with their social free time, and went to the pub, I could suggest when they are older they will have nowhere to go either, but youth doesn't look any further than now. This follows the fact no deaf schools exist in Wales either, PHU's are decreasing, and those deaf needing specialist deaf education are being ferried to England.

Is Wales the future of the UK deaf community, or the exception ? Deaf have moved on to... where exactly ?

New Deaf venture launched in Wales...

SL First (Ltd.) is the UK’s first local magazine targeted at Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. The magazine is distributed to 10,000 local homes and businesses each month, providing information, advice and fascinating features to a wide audience.

SOURCE