BDA project funded by Smart Energy GB in Communities fund 2018
The BDA applied to Smart Energy GB to deliver a project to raise awareness within the Deaf community on the use of Smart Meters and how this could help people save energy and money in the East Midlands.
The BDA found that many Deaf people did not understand the purpose of a Smart Meter when they received letters regarding this through the post and the confusion it caused.
Smart Energy GB recognised that their accessible promotional information was not enough to support the Deaf community with Smart Meter changes and set up a fund to assist understanding through British Sign Language.
The BDA worked with National Energy Action and Smart Energy GB and used their information to deliver a series of information sessions across the East Midlands directly face to face in British Sign Language.
As part of this project, information posters were displayed where Deaf people congregated such as local Deaf Clubs. The BDA delivered 12 sessions in Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Derbyshire to a total of 254 individuals. After each information session, a surgery was offered where Deaf people could ask questions directly relating to their own circumstance. 60 people took advantage of this.
As part of the project, it was acknowledged that BSL videos are an important tool for Deaf people to access information in their own language.
The BDA produced BSL videos and uploaded them to the BDA Facebook page and various other Deaf related pages on social media.
These videos were well received by the Deaf community with over 4,500 viewings. The BDA estimated an average of 90% of these viewings were Deaf BSL users, equating to 4,050 views.
The BDA achieved the proposed reach as detailed in the project.
This clearly showed Deaf people in the East Midlands needed this information in an accessible language format and were very keen to attend these information sessions.
To ensure Deaf people who need information about Smart Meters, the BDA will continue to signpost their members to National Energy Action, to provide information and advice arranging an installation as well as signpost to the website and BSL videos for further information.
The BDA would like to thank Smart Energy GB for the funding to deliver this project and to the Deaf residents of East Midlands who took the time to attend these sessions.
