What IDHHC Learned from the Consultation with the Deaf Community

WhatIDHHCLearned
fromtheConsultation
withtheDeaf
Community
ASummary
Introduction
Atotalof33stakeholdersparticipatedinIslandDeaf+HardofHearingCentre’s(IDHHC)
review,andappreciatedtheopportunitysharetheiropinions.Thereviewisconsideredtobea
positivefirststepinimprovingtherelationshipbetweentheDeafcommunityandIDHHC.
Fourprimaryprogramareasarecoveredinthissummary,withappendinggraphsto
demonstratethefeedbackreceived.Theprogramsare:
1. Employment
2. InterpretingandCaptioning
3. FamilyandCommunity
4. HearingHealthServices
EmploymentProgram
Overall,48%ofparticipantswerenotsatisfiedwiththeemploymentprogram.Participants
indicatedthatthecounsellorsdidnotproviderelevantemploymentservices,oftenholdinglow
expectationsinsecuringjobsforDeafclients.Participantssometimesfelttheywere
encouragedtotakeonpositionsirrelevanttotheirskills.Clientswereunhappyinhavingtouse
interpreterswithemploymentcounsellorssincethelatterarenotfluentinASL(AmericanSign
Language)
Further,inadequateaccesstoIDHHCduringlunchhoursandlackofprivatecomputerstations
werebroughtupasadditionalfrustrations.Itwasevensuggestedthattheemployment
programclose(thatIDHHCpartnerwithmoreestablishedemploymentagencies)leavingIDHHC
tofocusoncommunicationservices.
2
InterpretingandCaptioningProgram
ClientsutilizingIDHHC’sinterpretingprogramrecognizetheimmediateneedtoaddressthe
shortageofinterpretersavailableonVancouverIsland.Aninsufficientnumberofinterpreters
oftenmeansclientshavetochangeappointmentstofitthescheduleofinterpreters.The
resultsshow48%dissatisfactionratingfortheinterpretingprogram,whereas30%ofclientsare
eithersatisfiedtoverysatisfiedwiththeserviceprovided.Acallforeasieraccesstobooking
methods(text,email,messages,etc.)aswellasaclearlystatedservicestandardtothe
community(i.e.completingappointments,clientcodeofconduct)wouldbebeneficial.
36%ofparticipantswerenotsatisfiedwithcaptioningservices.Themajorityofclientsindicated
atleastsomesatisfactionwiththisservice.Itwasnotedtherearepossibleopportunitiesto
expandcaptioningserviceswithinthecommunityatpubliceventsandconferences,for
example.
3
FamilyandCommunityProgram
Overhalf(52%)ofrespondentsindicatedthattheFamilyandCommunityprogramdidnotmeet
theirexpectations,indicatingthatcurrentservicesarenotappropriatelyalignedwiththeneeds
oftheDeafcommunity.Further,respondentsnotedthattherearenoresourcesavailablein
providingsigningclassestoDeafchildren,tooral,orrecentlydeafenedadultsseekingtolearn
signlanguage.AcleardisconnectwasfeltinthelackofprogramminglinkingFirstNations
communitieswithresources/educationontheDeafCommunity;thisdisconnectisalsofeltin
theservicegapstothosenotresidingwithinVictoriaorNanaimo.Participantsindicatedthat
theywouldliketoseemorechild-youthbasedprogramstoremediatesocialisolation,aswellas
alargerlibraryrelevanttotheDeafcommunity.Overall,thereisastrongneedforincreased
transparencyandcommunicationbetweenIDHHCandtheDeafcommunitytoensureahealthy
workingrelationship.
4
HearingHealthServicesProgram
ItisnotedthatlessthanhalfofDeaftownhallparticipantsutilizedthisprogram.55%indicated
theyweresomewhatsatisfiedwiththeserviceprovidedintheHearingHealthprogram,while
theremainder(45%)werenot.Thecommunitylistedlackofknowledgeofavailable
technology,longwaitingtimestoaccessassistance/equipment,andnovisualdisplayofhearing
assistivedevices,asconcerns.
5
OverallReview
IDHHCiscurrentlyseenasneither‘Deaffriendly’nor‘Deaffocused’,wherethereislimitedto
noaccesstoASLfluentstaff.
Asaconsequence,IDHHC’senvironmentisseentobedisrespectfultoDeafclients,wherethere
appearstobelittleeffortinensuringthatDeafpersonsreceivetheappropriateservices(i.e.
ASLstaff,successinobtainingemployment).
Further,thelackofculturalsensitivityamonghearingstaffanddecreasedtransparency/
communicationarekeyfactorscontributingtothebrokenconnectionbetweenIDHHCandthe
Deafcommunity.
Onaverage,45%ofallrespondentsstatedthattheywerenotsatisfiedwithIDHHC’sprograms,
withonly6%indicatingahighsatisfactionrating.
6
Asaresultofthetownhallmeetings,tenprioritieswereprovidedbyparticipantsasameansto
improvingIDHHC’sservices:
Interpreter
Availability
IncreasedSupport
Communicaaon
•  Expandnumberofinterpreterstoensureavailability
•  ExpandnumberofinterpretersforFederalGovernment
se`ngs
•  Increasenumberofmedicalemergencyinterpreters
throughouttheIsland
•  Improveemploymentservices-amely,current,acavely
recruiangemployers
•  ExpandFamily&CommunityServices-moreASL
instrucaontofamilieswithDeafchildren,employers,
deafened/oraldeafpeople
•  Provideaccesstomentalhealthsupports,suchasthe
"Well-BeingProgram"
•  MoreDeafstaff/BoardmembersandrespectforDeaf
culture
•  Examineroles/competenciesthatrequirehigher
usageofASL.ThisincludesadoptingamoreDeaf
friendlyworkculture.
•  Providein-houseASLtrainingforstaffaspartof
theirjobqualiRications
•  Increasevisibility,transparencyandcommunication
channelsbetweenIDHHCandtheDeafcommunity
7
LookingAhead:WhatOtherServicesareNeeded?
IDHHCsoughttohearfromtheDeafcommunityandintendstobringfullservicestoallclients.
Aspartoftheconsultationprocess,long-termservicesareconsideredhere:
DeafCommunity
Development
• Literacyprogram,
leadershiptraining
• ASLinstrucaonfor
familiesand
employers
Socializaaon
Communicaaon
• Eventsforchildrenand
youthtointeract
• Fundraisingevent
culturallyappropriate
• Availableinformaaon
andresources
• Consistentnoaces,
newslegers,Vlogs,and
emails
• Increased
understandingof
needsofDeaf-blind
andDeafconsumers
ConcludingRemarks
TheBoardofIDHHC,togetherwithitsExecutiveDirectorandagencystaffextendsthanksto
membersoftheDeafcommunitywhoparticipatedinthisreview.Itisfromopendialogueand
feedbackthatpositivechangecanoccur.
IDHHChaslistenedandwillworktowardincorporatingrecommendations,withinourmandate
andbudget,intoprogrambusinessplansandagencyoperational,strategicplans.
RichardLetourneau
Chair,BoardofDirectors
IslandDeaf+HardofHearingCentre
8