Our Salford Deaf Advocacy Service team – Deb, Danielle and Toni – recently completed their Deafblind Awareness Level 1 qualification and passed with flying colours.
Danielle
According to the deafblind charity Sense there are currently approximately 390,000 people in the UK who are deafblind. The figure is expected to rise to 600,000 by 2035.
Most individuals who are deafblind have some residual sight and/or hearing, but it is important to realise that being both deaf and blind raises unique barriers in communication, access to information, and navigating in wider society, which is organised around the needs of sighted and hearing people. Deafblind individuals experience the world in very different ways and use a variety of communication methods.
Toni
Following the course Toni said:
"The course was very informative and useful. We found out about different types of deafblindness and the causes of deafblindness. It was beneficial to learn about the different forms of deafblind communication and how important it is to use these in different situations with different people, depending on their level of hearing or sight. We are looking forward to applying these methods of communication with different members of the Salford deafblind community. It has also been good to have a deeper insight into many of the daily barriers that deafblind people experience with accessing information, mobility and communication."
When meeting a person who is deafblind it is worth remembering the following three suggestions:
Make sure the person knows you are there and who you are before starting a conversation
When working with a deafblind person wear plain, dark clothing
Ask the deafblind person what you can do to help with communication. For example, some people may prefer clear speech, BSL or use of the deaf manual alphabet
Deb
To contact Manchester Deaf Centre regarding deafblind support either for yourself or for an individual with whom you work, please email info@manchesterdeafcentre.com and we will connect you with colleagues in the most relevant service.
