COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The BDA’s Community Development work is focussed on engaging with the sign language community to improve equality so they have the same rights and access and to everyday mainstream participation in society as their hearing peers
The BDA delivers this under five main themes to ensure a holistic 360 degree approach to engaging with and supporting the sign language community from cradle to grave. Our community development work falls under these themes as follows:
To develop 'Access and Inclusion' initiatives
Like BSL Charter, and Advocacy for deaf people as part of their equal rights in society
To act as “Capacity Builders”
By delivering courses in BSL to promote skills development, personal development, self-awareness, character and resilience for deaf people in order for them to become sustainable in their own community.
To develop a National 'Deaf Roots and Pride' mentoring and transitions programmes
To reach out to deaf young people and children who are in mainstream education and their parents to highlight BSL and Identity and to raise awareness of the existence of the deaf community where they can also belong.
To develop 'Partnership Building' initiatives
With regional deaf organisations and mainstream organisations working with deaf people to maximise outreach with minimum resources.
To develop and maintain a network of National, Regional and Local BDA engagement programmes and forums
To encourage deaf sign language users to meet up in order to promote face to face interaction, engage in consultations and make their voices/ signs heard. We are always looking to work more closely with service providers, voluntary sector agencies, funders and Deaf groups to help Deaf communities across the UK. If you are interested in working with the BDA on a community development initiative that falls within any of the above areas, please contact the appropriate person below:
