DEAF ROOTS & PRIDE
With the right support, the possibilities and potential for young deaf people are endless.
Around 90% of deaf children are born to hearing families and over 75% attend mainstream schools with little or no specialist provision. Lack of support often means that they encounter communication barriers every day of their lives at school and in their social and home lives. As a result, deaf children commonly experience social isolation, poor mental health, low self-esteem and poor educational outcomes.
Deaf Roots & Pride provides mentoring support from Deaf role models and group activities for deaf children and young people aged between 8 and 20. DRP aims to support them to see the positives in their deaf identities and to build their confidence and aspirations in negotiating key transitions and preparing for adult life. We believe that access to Deaf role models, activities involving other deaf children and families, and providing support in British Sign Language are all crucial in empowering vulnerable deaf children.
By providing this support, Deaf Roots and Pride aims to enable deaf children to become emotionally literate and fulfilled individuals with a can do attitude, confident of overcoming barriers and making successful transitions. Family members also benefit from their involvement in project activities, increasing their awareness of their deaf child’s potential after meeting Deaf adult role models and improving their ability to engage with and help their deaf children.
Deaf Roots and Pride activities and events have to date supported over 800 deaf children to help fulfil their dreams. The BDA is rolling out Deaf Roots and Pride across the UK, and we urgently need your support and to reach out to more deaf children. If you would like to make a donation towards the Deaf Roots & Pride project or to the BDA’s wider work, you can do so on our donation page here.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DRP TEAM
Meet the DRP Teams around the UK
UK MANAGER
Sue Barry
DRP MANAGER - UK“Sue BarryDRP opens the door to a world of positivity about being deaf and an understanding of the opportunities they have to fulfill their potential and believe in themselves
ENGLAND
Sean Noone
MENTORING OFFICER - MIDLANDS
Simon Herdman
MENTORING OFFICER -NORTH EAST
Chivonne Chapman
MENTORING OFFICER -DEVON
NORTHERN IRELAND
Colette McMahon
PROJECT OFFICER
SCOTLAND
James Barnes-Miller
MENTORING OFFICER
Lesley Winning
DRP ADMINISTRATOR
Mitchell Graham
TRANSITION OFFICER
WALES
