Category: Updates

CE update – 26 July 2022

Transcript

Hello, I’m Jen Blyth, the Chief Executive Officer of Deaf Australia. I am here on Wurundjeri land of the Kulin Nation, in Naarm (Melbourne) Victoria. I have a few CEO updates for the community.

Firstly, we have a new Executive Assistant – Lauren Stuart. We are excited to have her join the team and support efficiency by improving response time to email enquiries and assist with other tasks in the workplace.

Secondly, Darlene recently attended the AFAC conference. AFAC is the emergency services council, which includes the SES, CFA and other emergency services departments. Previously Shirley and Tayla have worked with these services; and from that work, the CEO of AFAC contacted us to discuss how to better engage with Deaf people around accessibility in emergencies. Not just during emergency situations; but in the preparation of emergencies, during emergencies and in the recovery phases; and what Deaf people can do in these situations. We want the momentum of this relationship to continue. It shows the amazing work of the team in making this happen and the importance of Deaf inclusion in emergency situations.

Recently, I went to Cairns to meet with a far north Queensland indigenous group: Deaf Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. I felt truly honoured to be invited to meet with this group and listen to their experiences. If you would like us to visit your state and local community – anywhere in Australia – please reach out, as we are happy to travel to you and listen to your stories at any time. So please do contact us.

SBS vodcast episode 5 has been released this week and episode 6 will likely be released in the coming week or two so please have a look as this episode is about ‘Intersectionality’.

The Colin Allen lecture nominations have now closed, and we will announce this year’s lecturer soon. The lecture will be given on the 23rd September which is the International Day of Sign Languages. The lecture will be given online and more information about who is presenting will be released soon. During that same week, which is the National Week of Deaf People, there will be events including the AGM on the 19th September. Also, the Dorothy Shaw youth writing competition, which we will release more information about soon; but there will be prizes for different forms of writing such as stories, artwork, cartoon, graphic novels, etc. This was one of my favourite events last year so I’m looking forward to it again this year.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate Deaf ACT for their lobbying and petition of over 500 signatories provided to the ACT Parliament to propose more research and inclusion of Auslan in key areas. Deaf Australia also added a submission along with other stakeholders. So well done to Deaf ACT for this amazing advocacy.

That’s all from me. Have a lovely week. Thanks, bye.

ACT Inquiry: Access to services and information in Auslan

Visual Description

Shirley is standing in front of a cream coloured wall, she wears a dark blue jumper and her dark brown hair is tied back.

Transcript

Hello everyone!
 
Deaf Australia is seeking Deaf people who live in ACT.
 
DeafACT is a small organisation who actively focuses on advocacy, sports and other support services in ACT.
 
We have been in consultation with together regarding a very important Inquiry that has been established by the ACT Government.
 
This Inquiry will focus on the accessibility of services and information in Auslan, and further information is available into the specifics of what the Inquiry will involve.
 
Deaf Australia and DeafACT would like to encourage the community and you as individuals to please make a submission towards the Inquiry advising them of the issues you have experienced.
 
From your submissions the Inquiry will examine what changes need to be made. Change may be required to a law, improving a system or processes to better the future.
 
We strongly encourage you all to submit to the Inquiry before the cut off date which is this Friday 15th July.
 
Deaf Australia is working together with Deaf ACT and in support they have asked us to create a template which is available to download online.  This template will help with creating a submission using written English or if you would like to submit an Auslan version, the template will support with the structure of the submission.
 
If you have any questions or queries, please contact the team at DeafACT who will be able to support you. 
 
Please spread the word to your friends, family, work colleagues, this is a valuable Inquiry for the Deaf community in ACT.
 
Thank you for supporting this important cause.

Download the template submission

More information about the inqury

Recent Facebook Q&A with DeafACT

CE update – 27 May 2022

Transcript

Hello, I’m Jen Blyth, CEO of Deaf Australia. I have a brief update for you all.

So far I have been attending many meetings. Most of them are related to NDIS and AAT case conferences to support families’ advocacy to reinstate Auslan tuition on their children’s plans after being cut.

Secondly, we want to inform you that we will have the Colin Allen Lecture coming up soon. Please see Debra’s video for more information.

Thirdly, yesterday was Sorry Day. It is important that we acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait people in Australia. Related to that, on 3rd to 10th July will be NAIDOC week and Auslan shop will offer 5% to everything we sell in that week to Deaf Aboriginal organisation/Services. More information will be shared soon.

Lastly, we have SBS video podcast with 4 episodes being available for view. They all have different topics with the first one about Auslan as a language, Deaf stories around technologies, Deaf Gain and Deafblind. The upcoming episode will be about diversity and we will see what the last episode’s topic will be –  it will be a surprise. I strongly encourage you all to watch those episodes to enjoy the content and to laugh along.

 

I wonder if we should organise a movie night where everyone can watch together and have a discussion afterwards relating to the topic? Let me know!

That’s all from me. Have a lovely week. Thanks, bye.

Auslan Shop – members discount

Transcript

Hello to all of our members. I have exciting news to share about our upcoming special of the month for our members. During the month of June, we will be offering a special discount for this book “Managing Their Own Affairs”  written by Breda Carty.  This is exclusively only for our members to get this discounted price at $65, not including shipping fees.

If you are interested to buy this, please contact me via email [email protected] along with your name and address. 

I will make a record of all members who bought this book so when the Auslan version is ready, it will be sent out. 

This is exciting and it will be available for order from 1st June till the end of the month. The book will be available for the public on our website afterwards without the special discount.

We want to let you all know that the book has limited copies so don’t miss out this limited edition. It won’t be printed again after the 174 books have been sold. So make sure you don’t miss out ordering from the 1st June. 

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity for all of our members.

2022 Federal Election Scorecards

The federal election is happening this Saturday! Below is a summary of how the major parties' policies stack up.

We (Deaf Australia Inc & Deaf Connect) make this information available for the benefit of our community and not as an endorsement of any party or candidate.

English information by topic:
English information by party:

Visual description

Liberals
Deaf related election promises
  • $2 million to train hearing assistance dogs
NDIS
  • Continue funding the NDIS
  • Increase community partnerships to deliver NDIS
  • Quicker and easier access to assistive technology
  • Continue to support Roadmap for Hearing Health
Other disability policy that impacts Deaf people
  • 7% target for disability employment in Australian Public Service by 2025
Labour
Deaf related election promises
  • Three new Shepherd Centre centres ($6.5 million) plus $1.5 million online training in speech and emotional resilience
NDIS
  • Stop cuts to NDIS plans
  • Review how NDIS operates
  • Increase number of people with disabilities on NDIS Board and Executive
  • An additional 380 staff for NDIA
  • A promise of an extra 83,000 more workers for NDIS
Other disability policy that impacts Deaf people
  • Double support for funding for disability advocacy organisations (including Deaf Australia)
Greens
Deaf related election promises
  • $30 million to increase availability of Auslan interpreters
NDIS
  • Remove age 65 limit to access NDIS
  • Lift staffing cap for NDIS
  • Disability awareness training for NDIS staff
  • Higher investment in NDIS advocacy
Other disability policy that impacts Deaf people
  • 20% target for disability employment in Australian Public Service
  • Expand regulatory requirement for captioning
  • Commitment to close special schools (including Deaf schools) by 2030 as part of making schools inclusive
  • $30 million increase in funding for disability advocacy organisations (including Deaf Australia)
  • Implement all recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission
  • Ensure that disabled people in the criminal legal system are able to access disability supports and reasonable adjustments and modifications, including the NDIS
  • Invest an initial $10 million over four years working with disable people, DROs and education institutes to develop model curricula for health professionals
  • Establish an Office of Disability Strategy within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to oversee the coordination and monitoring of the NDIS
  • Invest $15 million over the forward estimates to ensure emergency responders and disaster relief services receive disability awareness training
Files for printing:

Last call for WFD Conference

Transcript

Deaf Australia would like to give you a new update about the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) conference. The original plan was that delegates would converge/fly onto the conference, meet and greet, socialise and watch presentations. Now, COVID19 has impacted on that and plans have changed to doing this online, watching the different presentations on laptops and screens. The theme is “Doing Inclusive Education for Deaf Learners: Discovering Best Practices.” There will be opportunities to discuss and learn much from this. Deaf Australia some time ago asked if people were interested and keen to be involved, to write submissions and Deaf Australia would view them, select the most appropriate ones. We received maybe one or two and so thought we would ask again because the standard registration for the conference cut off date is looming - it will finish 12th April. The registration from then to the 20th-22nd April to log in and view the conference will cost more. The cheaper registration will cost $300 (USD) while the other will cost $350 (USD). So if you want to work out the currency exchange from USD to Australian dollars you will need to look online. Each country, of which Australia is one, can choose to send 6 people to be involved in the conference. The WFD encourages two of the delegates to be from youths, to allow them the chance to participate and also view the WFDYS’ conference, to understand and learn more from the processes. So: 6 people inclusive of 2 youths. This leaves 4 adults with one being representative of Deaf Australia’s board and staff, which means there are 3 community spots for you. If you are keen to participate please contact us through email at [email protected] - better hurry and let us know so we can collaborate and submit the applications for you. If you want more information over the program and who is presenting - they have quite a diverse list - you can go to the WFD website and have a look.

CE update – 13 April 2022

Transcript

Hello I’m Jen Blyth, CEO of Deaf Australia. I want to give you an update in this current TTT. Today is the 13th of April, which means it’s Auslan Day. I was born Deaf to Deaf parents as part of a Deaf family with many Deaf cousins too. I grew up as part of the Deaf community which is profoundly a part of me. I’m so proud of my community and my language, Auslan; it is an inalienable part of my identity. I feel this deep sense of warmth when I see people interacting in Auslan, showing respect and love for the language, same as me.

How is Deaf Australia celebrating Auslan Day? Well, in quite a few ways; firstly the Auslan Day Video Competition where the community was invited to get involved, send their videos & vote. Later we’ll announce the winners in this TTT. Secondly, the SBS vodcasts - video versions of podcasts - where different Deaf people talk about different Deaf things. It’s titled “Our Deaf Ways” and it involves topics like the history of Deaf people and Auslan; the older generation talk about life before technology and Deaf Gain. I’m really excited to watch them, I haven’t seen them yet myself!

I really want to acknowledge and applaud my team - am so proud of them, for being involved and making this happen. I applaud them because there were many hours put into this, so again, applause all round.

I want to give you an update on National Week of Deaf People which is happening on the 19th to 25th September of this year. The theme for this year is: Building Inclusive Communities for All which means we openly invite all to be a part of our community regardless of their backgrounds, differences and identities. There will be different events that week, including Deaf Australia’s AGM, Dot Shaw Young Writers Competition, the Colin Allen Lecture. We’ll start the nominations process in the not too distant future; we’ll be asking for participation in presenting the Lecture.

I want to give you a quick update on the election that’s coming up. You know how Deaf Australia and Deaf Connect are collaborating to plan campaign strategy to governments. We also collaborate with this organisation called Per Capita, I have update you over time what’s been happening. We did research with them over the topic of Auslan & Deaf people’s participation around Australia; what were the benefits? The economics report - which means what is the monetary value of Deaf people and value of Auslan- you know how people always say that Deaf people are expensive, interpreters are expensive, including Deaf people is expensive? Well, this report turns things around by asking what is the positive benefit of being a Deaf person in this context? How much is Auslan worth? We will give this report to governments so they can see this and realise that Deaf people are a worthy contributor, not seen as expensive. Part of the report will fit in with our advocacy to governments to make them see Deaf people’s and Auslan’s worth and value. It is to try and develop relationships and collaboration to gain increased funding to promote Auslan as a real language and to get them to recognise Auslan’s importance, as the language of Deaf people.

Maybe recently you’ve seen the ALP, the Australian Labor Party on Monday announce their first election promise which is to give $1.5 million to the Shepherd Centre for HearHub, a digital platform to provide services in AVT. The Deaf community was upset to see funding provided to AVT; why not to Auslan as well? I understand how you feel; we feel the same. Deaf Australia did respond by releasing a media release to get them to think about Auslan too.

What was the background behind this, how did they suddenly get $1.5 million? Back in 2016 the centre did economic reports to show the benefits of AVT, the same tactic we are doing for Auslan, how it is beneficial for Deaf people. They showed this research to government in 2016 and again in 2019. They networked, developed relationships and pressed their case, from all the way back in 2016. Then finally they got what they wanted, which was $1.5 million. We are hoping to get similar results with our research then we can start networking, develop relationships and collaborate with government figures. Does that mean we will now get immediate results? No, it will take time, possibly years to advocate our case. That’s why part of us feel like we’ll be advocating forever! So now you have some background regarding this.

We also focus on advocacy, individual advocacy that is, including advocating to NDIA & AAT and at the local stage. We also do varying levels of advocacy across a wide range of things, including this recent event in Newcastle, working with the Hunter Valley and New England Health region. The focus was to think about Deaf people’s experiences with the health system there: the barriers encountered with doctors, nurses, GPs, physiotherapists and ambulances. And of course interpreters, how people want to have their preferred interpreters and how they aren’t easy to book in short timeframes. We did 3 days of feedback and discussions with the Deaf community there, which we then passed on to the healthcare system in that region. It was really positive and we will be keeping an eye on any action they decide to take and prod them if needed.

That’s all the updates from me now, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and a happy Ramadan. Thank you, bye for now!

Deaf Community Feedback to the NSW Central Coast, Hunter and New England Health Systems, and the Health Care Interpreter Service

Transcript

Soon, on Tuesday, 5th of April, the Hunter Health Service in NSW including the Central Coast, Hunter and New England region want to invite input from the Deaf community, Deaf and hard of hearing people to participate in how to improve interpreting in the health services.

This includes hospital and community health services in the region.

We have two different sessions; a morning session from 10am to 2:30pm and lunch will be provided.

The second session is in the evening from 5:30pm to 9:00pm; dinner is included.

Jen Blyth, the CE of Deaf Australia will be involved, facilitating the discussions and asking questions. This will be submitted to the health services, on how to improve their services.

If you want to come, if you want to be involved please email Jay Jones; the email address is [email protected]

The sessions will be held in Hamilton, Newcastle.

This will be in person, not on Zoom. See you there.

CE update – 21 March 2022

Transcript

Hello, I’m Jen Blyth, CEO of Deaf Australia.

This is our short update for Three Terrific Things.

Recently we held our SGM.

We gave out two awards to two winners. Jaycob Campbell for Deaf Australian of the Year and to Andrew Welshe for Community Volunteer of the year. Congratulations to you both. We are very proud to see such wonderful Deaf people represent our community in Australia.

We proposed that the community vote on the member structure and the fee structure.

For the members structure it was agreed that Deaf, hearing and Hard-of-Hearing could all be members. With one exception, that hearing members are not allowed to vote in AGMs or SGMs.

For the fees structure, we started the discussion but realised we need to have more talks with the community. We will start to work on this’d by the next AGM we will be ready to take a vote on this.

We have an Auslan Day competition with 3 amazing judges. We have more information on that in Three Terrific Things.

Please send in your videos, we really want to enjoy as many videos as possible.

Along with the three judges we will also have a community vote. There are many great prizes to be won and we have invested a lot of money into this event.

We will also have lots of other events on the day.

The Floods - our thoughts are with all the people affected by the floods in Queensland and NSW.

Through photos, videos and information online we have seen that people have been very scared and worried during the disaster. We are very aware that people are concerned that they do not have access to information. What can Deaf Australia do at this time? We are working with ASLIA and other agencies to work out how we can create best practise. We know this is not able to provide immediate help for the floods now, and we do apologies for that. But we are looking ahead to improve and setting up better access to information. So that in the future, if this happens, the support accessing information is already there, s that deaf people are confident in knowing what to do.

We are also working with people who are writing a DRR - Disaster Risk Reduction module for an e-learning course. This will be useful in preparing for future disaster events.

I wanted to let the community know that we are thinking of you, and if you need any advocacy support because of the floods, you can contact Deaf Australia and we can support you. Or if we cannot support you, we will find the right people who can support you.

I think that’s all for my update this week.

I look forward to working with you going forward. Bye for now.

Auslan Shop Update (1 March 2022)

Transcript

Hello, I have an update from Auslan Shop. There’s unfortunately a problem with deliveries being late in Queensland and the north of NSW for people who’ve ordered things from the Auslan Shop. I apologise for the impact of deliveries; there’s a delay of about five days.  Thank you for your patience and understanding over the delays. The delays are from: Brisbane and its regions; Bundaberg; Cairns; Gladstone; Gold Coast and its regions; Lismore; Mackay; Maryborough; Rockhampton; Sunshine Coast; Toowoomba and Townsville.  If you’re worried or wondering where’s your delivery, if you’ve been given the tracking number, please follow that tracking number. If you want to find out something or have a question, please contact me and I will answer. Thank you again for your patience and understanding over this situation which is bad luck. I hope those who live in these areas are keeping safe.   

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