- Aim: To use technology to improve remote communication for people with hearing loss.
- Impact: Our new, award-winning TalkByText PC software is already being used by many home users. It allows people who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience real-time text conversations over the internet using their PC. With almost two thousand licenses sold, the business edition is being used by a growing number of companies, educational establishments and other organisations. We also responded to the falling number of traditional textphones now on the market by completing development of a modernised and easy-to-use textphone – the first new model in the UK in five years.
- Aim: To enable people who are deaf, deafblind, deafened, hard of hearing and speech-impaired to communicate with hearing people by telephone.
- Impact: Text Relay is a national service, delivered on contract to BT, which connects people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired and use a textphone with friends, family and businesses over the telephone. In the past year, Text Relay has answered 1,526,900 calls, including 21,751 emergency calls, ensuring that people can stay connected to each other. In response to customer feedback, our Relay Assistants now explain how the service works only to callers who ask, so that regular callers experience no delays at the beginning of their call.
- Aim: To improve access to services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Impact: We installed induction loop and infrared systems at more than 500 locations to help service providers communicate better with people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Almost 100 members have given us their feedback on induction loop provision in over 500 shops and services. The more feedback we receive about loop systems not working, the more easily we can identify and target the worst offenders.
- Aim: To promote the opportunities in hearing research for the purpose of increasing public and private investment in this field.
- Impact: We organised a successful conference in partnership with Fight for Sight to highlight the opportunities that exist in hearing and vision research, attracting 150 delegates from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. We also exhibited at two international trade conventions and increased the circulation of our industry-focused e-newsletter to more than 500 subscribers. We provided expert advice to 48 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, helping them understand the markets for medical treatments to combat hearing loss and tinnitus, and how their technology could be applied.
- Aim: To create opportunities for people to be more actively involved in our work.
- Impact: We work with volunteers to deliver community-based
services, including outreach information and Hear
to Help, the service that helps clients make the most of their hearing
aids. Most of our volunteers have a hearing loss themselves and are happy
to share their experiences and offer advice to clients, carers and professionals.
RNID Campaigns Network Members participated in the first ever meetings in the European Parliament to use a state-of-the-art infrared system that assists hearing aid wearers. They successfully lobbied the Parliament to install this system in its visitor centre and iconic debating chamber.
We appointed a Head of Volunteering Development who has simplified our recruitment process to make us more accessible to potential volunteers. We have put good practice into action, including regularly thanking our volunteers and acknowledging their contribution, which is helping to increase volunteer numbers and commitment.