- Aim: Provide advice and guidance to 750 people who are deaf or hard of hearing who are long-term unemployed or on Incapacity Benefit. Aim for at least 150 people achieving secure sustainable full- or part-time employment and 120 accessing training opportunities to prepare them for employment.
- Impact: We delivered advice and guidance to 796 new jobseekers, 42% of whom had additional needs. 148 job seekers secured employment and 71% were still in work after three months. 350 of our service users have accessed IT training, Basic Skills and other learning activities to help move them closer to the labour market.
- Aim: Deliver deaf awareness or start to sign training to 6,000 individual employers and service providers to improve access for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Impact: More than 6,500 people have received our deaf awareness, disability and deaf awareness or start to sign training, helping to improve accessibility in all types of organisations both in the public and private sector.
We introduced Training Access Points allowing individuals the facility to easily access training and successfully held 25 events throughout the UK.
- Aim: The above aim and impact is available in BSL
- Impact: You should be seeing a video here instead of this text. Please visit the Macromedia site to get the Flash Video Player.
- Aim: Improve access to communication services for deaf people by delivering 20,500 high-quality communication assignments across the UK. Increase the number of qualified language service professionals (LSPs) by providing six training programmes to move a minimum of 30 individuals towards registerable status.
- Impact: We processed 25,133 bookings for communication assignments, however due to the continuing shortage of LSPs and an increasing number of cancellations, we actually delivered 17,613 communication assignments.
We continued to develop our relationships with freelancers and now work with more than 300 registered LSPs across the UK. We ran six high level BSL courses, from which 37 students gained BSL qualifications. We also ran one NVQ level 4 interpreting course leading to the registration of another five interpreters.
The BSL Futures project in Wales had 10 apprentice interpreters registered by the end of March 2008.
In continuing to build a training infrastructure, we trained 13 people to become A1 Assessors and supported seven deaf people through Training the Trainers with Confidence courses to assist them in delivering more high level BSL courses in the future across England and Wales.
- Aim: The above aim and impact is available in BSL
- Impact: You should be seeing a video here instead of this text. Please visit the Macromedia site to get the Flash Video Player.
- Aim: Ensure new research undertaken and service plan developed in partnership with the Scottish Government to address the gaps in mental health service provision for deaf people in Scotland.
- Impact: We have secured funding from the Scottish Government, established a multi-agency steering group and appointed researchers to develop the basis for this new service. Its launch has been delayed by the need to secure approval from the Government’s Ethics and Research and Development Committees.
- Aim: Develop and roll out a user involvement strategy for deaf people with mental health needs or learning disabilities and, as a priority, involve service users in recruitment to at least 50% of management positions by the end of 2008.
- Impact: Our service users are now involved in recruitment to all Care Service management posts and feedback has been positive from both service users and candidates.
- Aim: Redevelop two care homes to provide a high-quality physical environment to improve service users’ quality of life.
- Impact: We have completed improvements to a supported housing service in Epsom to develop more independent living opportunities for vulnerable service users and improve staff working conditions. We have also opened supported living accommodation in Carmarthenshire for three deaf adults with additional needs.
Further improvements to services in Bath are taking place in 2008/09. We continue to support 370 people with deafness and other needs with both residential and independent living services across the country.
- Aim: Increase by 18 the number of people who are deaf or hard of hearing with profound additional needs who we support in the community.
- Impact: We have expanded our outreach support services, in Brighton, Torquay, South Wales, Sandwell, Preston and Lancaster enabling us to support 18 more service users in community settings, giving them greater independence.
Phil's story
Phil has found employment at a steel company in Manchester where he has learnt new skills and has changed the attitudes and working practices of those around him.
Our Employment Training and Skills Service, together with Phil, were recently nominated for an Award in the North West European Social Fund Celebration and Awards Event held in Manchester.
“We had reservations initially about employing a disabled person ... but Phil is a total asset. He’s the best thing that ever happened to this company.” Dave, Phil's colleague
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Did you know...
18
more people who are deaf or hard of hearing with additional needs in the community have received our support.