Hear Me, I'm Here, Deaf Awareness Training

Although the number of people in Cornwall living with hearing loss is currently as high as 1 in 5, there are still many barriers of communication for the Deaf and those living with hearing loss.

Why not play your part by encouraging your staff, team members or students to develop a better understanding of those who need hearing help through our Deaf Awareness Training? As well as helping our deaf community, they will also find it a rewarding, life-enhancing experience.

Hearing Loss Cornwall delivers Deaf Awareness Training to organisations, businesses, voluntary sector groups and educational centres. "Hear Me - I'm Here" will be targeted at your audience needs whether for students, people living with hearing loss, or needing to know more. Let us know!

Our Deaf Awareness classes and courses will also help to ensure that organisations are fulfilling their statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010 as well as meeting the needs of customers and employees. We also want to build greater awareness about some of the causes of hearing loss, so as to minimise the numbers of people who may experience hearing loss in the future.

Hearing Loss Cornwall also maintains a close link with Sense, deafblind charity and staff have undertaken “Deafblind” training to enable them to share best practice.

The team at Hearing Loss Cornwall have training in deaf awareness through the Institute of British Sign Language and the UCL, through the Deafness, Cognition and Language Research Centre. Although presentations and trainings are geared specifically to the learning group, Hearing Loss Cornwall have various power-point presentations and methods and modes of delivery which enable role-sharing. Before the delivery of this programme, a structure will be agreed so that each presentation follows a preferred format (with variances dependent on class participation). 

Hearing Loss Cornwall team members have qualifications and experience in teaching adults and at further education institutes, as well as training in counselling and life coaching. 

Did you know some key facts?

• Around 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss (1), and 34 million of these are children.

• It is estimated that by 2050 over 900 million people will have disabling hearing loss.

• Hearing loss may result from genetic causes, complications at birth, certain infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, the use of particular drugs, exposure to excessive noise, and ageing.

• 60% of childhood hearing loss is due to preventable causes.

• 1.1 billion young people (aged between 12–35 years) are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to noise in recreational settings.

We offer anything from an introductory talk to half-day Deaf Awareness sessions, all delivered in a fun but informative fashion and geared to your participants.

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Deaf Awareness Training Poster, Cornwall

We work with various NHS and Cornwall Council departments to aim to improve and understanding of accessibility needs
Hearing Loss support at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske

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CEDN resources (inclusioncornwall.co.uk)

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You Have to be Deaf to Understand by Willard J. Madsen

You Have to be Deaf to Understand" was written by Willard J. Madsen, associate professor at Gallaudet College and a graduate of the Kansas School for the Deaf. Written in 1971, the poem first appeared in the Dee Cee Eyes and has since been reprinted in publications all over the country. It has received worldwide attention and has been translated into seven different languages. 

What is it like to "hear" a hand? You have to be deaf to understand. What is it like to be a small child, in a school, in a room void of sound, with a teacher who talks and talks and talks; And then, when she does come , around to you

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Defend not Deafened

Please contact the office if you are interested in finding out more. 

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Talks and Presentations

“Have a Care and be Deaf Aware!”

Let Hearing Loss Cornwall come to your group and we will share with them how to be more
Deaf Aware

Communication is a vital part of everyday life, and no less for those living with hearing loss. At any stage in life, we are all vulnerable to hearing loss. Hearing Loss Cornwall offer an understanding of how to embrace this part of the community and to consider those with hearing loss and their needs.

Talks can be adapted to your audience.

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Teamwork

Stronger together

We also work in liaison with other voluntary sector organisations on any projects that will benefit our community, and we are happy to share in the preparation of any events or funding bids that will have a positive impact on our community. Find out how Hearing Loss Cornwall may be able to help.

Hearing Loss Cornwall is part of "The Cornwall Accessible Communications Group" which is a multi-agency group, established to improve all forms of communication between public sector organisations and patients, clients and the wider population of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The group aims to:

• Oversee the implementation of the Accessible Information Standard for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; specifically, to develop consistent protocols and standards around accessible information.

• Support organisations in achieving organisational equality objectives around improved communication.

• Work with voluntary and community sector organisations to achieve these objectives, drawing on the expertise of these groups and their membership.

• Share good practice and examples of pieces of work which may assist good and accessible communication.

Accessible communications symbol

 

“If your reflex is everyone feels lonely sometimes, you would be right. But you would also be understating the loneliness we feel.”