/ Dear Colleagues,
Happy Easter to you all, hope everyone had a great break. We in the SCoD office have had the benefit of a short break during the holiday period and are back refreshed and eager to go!
We are still looking for nominations for SCoD Board. For more information please contact: or see our vacancies page below.
The Deaf Sector Partnership (DSP) is preparing for the first of the BSL National Advisory Group (NAG) meetings coming up in April.Congratulations to all the members. We are looking forward to the results of your work. For more information, please check out the website.
The first ever Scottish Sensory Awards took place on Monday 15 February 2016. With the help of SCOVI, we are planning to run the next Scottish Sensory Awards next year. Watch this space for more information or alternatively you can visit The Sensory Awards page for updates.
It is time for ourNational Council Meeting, held in Edinburgh, The Scottish Sensory Centre, Paterson’s Land on Wednesday 4 May 2016. Please confirm your attendance .
Thanks to all of you that attended our 2016 conference and replied to the evaluation survey. Can you contribute to our Conference “Connect & Capitalise” in March 2017? We are looking to get organisations involved in workshops ideas so if you are interested, contact Kellas or Adeel: , .
Do not forget to tell us your plans for the next few weeks and use the bulletin to get your information out across Scotland!
Best wishes,
Janis McDonald
News:General
/ Quality Improvement throughout a Child’s Journey Update from the Scottish Government
This newsletter aims to pull together key news, learning and activities across the Scottish Government’s three quality improvement programmes for children and families – the Maternity and Children Quality Improvement Collaborative, the Early Years Collaborative and Raising Attainment for All.
To read more, please click here
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/ Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund 2016 - 17 now open
Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) manages the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund (SIALF) on behalf of the Scottish Government. The aim of the £500,000 one-year Fund is to support community-based projects tackling social isolation. To be eligible organisations should have an annual income of under £250,000. Grants of up to £20,000 are available.
The deadline for applications is20 May 2016. Funded projects will be delivered between July 2016 and June 2017, by which time all activities should be concluded and all grant money spent.
The outcomes for the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund are:
- An increase in social connectedness of people experiencing disadvantage; and
- A reduction in the effects of social isolation in people experiencing disadvantage.
- Press Release
- Eligibility Criteria
- Application Form
- Application Guidance Notes
- Budget Form
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/ Deaf British Sign Language users’ engagement with health care in Scotland
BDA Scotland – Access & Inclusion (Health) Officer, Katie Mowat has created and released the new 2nd year report of health services “Access & Inclusion (Health) Review: Deaf British Sign Language users’ engagement with health care in Scotland”
Click here for the Access & Inclusion report.
BSL translation – Click here
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/ Equality considerations when arranging events and meetings.
This document was developed by a colleague in the Scottish Government Equality Unit, which contains a summary of things to consider when planning events and meetings.
Date/day of event
- Be aware of significant dates and days of the week for faith/belief communities (Annex A).
- Not all denominations necessarily observe festivals in the same way - check with invitees whether the proposed date would be convenient.
- Consider whether a physical meeting is necessary or whether an alternative way of engaging would be easier/more effective for the stakeholder group.
- Accessibility - entry to and movement within the venue, including accessible toilets.
- Euan’s Guide rates venues from a disability point of view.
- Layout – to facilitate wheelchair access/positioning, space for personal assistants and communication support, for example interpreters, lip readers, palantypists, noting that access to electrical sockets might be required.
- Lighting and communication requirements such as AV, functioning loop system.
- Flexibility – some attendees might require to go to a separate room at points during the day, for example to pray or to rest.
- Wherever possible, visit a venue before booking.
- Start and finishing time – allow for travel time and school/childcare arrangements.
- Breaks – number and timing to suit people providing communication support.
- Meals – consider providing vegetarian meals, which will be suitable for attendees from different faith or belief communities.
- Snacks – include kosher biscuits e.g. Walkers original shortbread.
- Drinks – provide a soft drink option and disposable cups.
- Check whether the individuals/communities invited have preferred caterers.
- Invitations to an event should provide an opportunity for attendees to communicate particular requirements in advance.
- Inform front desk of individual requirements.
- Visible helpers/officials should be available throughout the event/meeting to provide support and assistance, and attendees should be made aware of this.
- Provide various formats to meet the needs of all attendees.
- Inform speakers in advance of attendees requiring communication support to allow them to adapt presentations if required and send slides or notes to palantypists, interpreters etc.
- Have feedback forms.
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/ Education and Culture Committee
During its scrutiny of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill, the Committee invited people to submit their views on the Bill.
Alongside the material already published on their website, they have now added two more in-depth summary documents:
Summary of BSL submissions
Summary of BSL submissions – Facebook
These documents were prepared under the Scottish Parliament contract for English/BSL translation. Please note they are intended as summaries and are not full transcriptions.
Other information: British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill
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/ Disability Rights UK - be the face of the Channel 4 Paralympics!
Disability Rights UK are working with Channel 4 to find participants for their Paralympics marketing campaign.
Channel 4 are looking for a number of people with a variety of skills and a range of impairments to be the face of the Paralympics marketing campaign. This is a great opportunity to highlight your talents and to demonstrate that disabled people are a diverse and interesting bunch!
Who they want: a full swing band; dancers; skateboarders; martial arts fighters; models; business people; children and families
Send them a short film clip of no longer than 5 minutes, stating your name, where you are from, and your impairment and show off your talent.
Please send to the Producer at Blink Productions who will be doing the casting for the long with your contact email address and phone number. Please only use the file sharing website share your clip and no attachments.
Please note your application will be received by a member of the Blink production team and they may contact you directly.
Blink Productions will process your personal data in accordance with their privacy policyand terms and conditionsplease click here to view.
The closing date for applications is midnight on the 7thApril and if your application is progressed to the next stage, you will be contacted by 15thApril 2016.If you are under 18 and would like to apply then your parent or guardian will need to do this on your behalf.
Please apply and spread the word.
Vacancies
/
Scottish Council on Deafness Board of Directors
The Scottish Council on Deafness (SCoD) invites nominations from the membership (only full members can nominate) to the Board of Trustees.If you have an interest in governance and the strategic work of SCoD, you may like to consider becoming a Trustee/Director.
The Board is responsible for the leadership and governance of SCoD, support to the staff team, monitoring, and evaluation of SCoD’s work, in conjunction with the Chief Officer. It meets a minimum of 4 times a year: generally an average of 6 x 2 hour meetings plus a development day.
This booklet covers the key parts of the recruitment process and includes the role description and code of conduct information applicable to all Board Members. SCoD is committed to a culture of continuous improvement and the survey at the end illustrates the areas the Board will focus on to improve its effectiveness.
Process
In accordance with our governing documents, Trustee/Directors must be nominated by an organisation, which is a full member of SCoD. A very senior person within that organisation must sign the nomination form.
The form must also be ratified by a current active SCoD Board member in order to support and validate the nomination. Each SCoD Board member can only validate one nomination. (Nomination form pages 4-8 inc). A completed skills audit form should be attached.
We openly advertise across our network. Full member organisations can nominate ANYONE they feel is suitable for the role.
You will then be asked to come along for an informal meeting to discuss the expectations, from both ourselves and you, of being a Trustee/Director; examine what skills and/or experience and interests you could bring to this position; note any barriers, preparation or training needs; discuss the potential for conflict of interests; and ensure you are aware of the role and relationship with the nominating body.
The other paperwork can be completed at this stage.
If there are more nominations than places on the Board then SCoD will hold an election across the full membership: one member, one vote.
These are unpaid positions, but any travel costs will be reimbursed upon submission of an appropriate claim form. Still Interested?
Then please complete the nomination form and skills audit form and return them to SCoD.
You can obtain a nomination form from our Office Manager
By email: or via our website:
Click here BSL Version
If you want more information please contact for in informal chat.
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/ Deaf Action – Sessional Youth Workers x2Over the past year, Deaf Action has set up a new youth project for young people aged 10-18 and affected by deafness, thanks to funding from BBC Children in Need. We have been able to provide regular youth clubs and activities for young people who are deaf British Sign Language users, deafened, hard of hearing, deafblind and children of deaf adults.
We have a youth club on Saturdays from 1:30pm-4:30pm (fortnightly term time, weekly during summer break) and a Friday Club on the second Friday every month, from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
2x Sessional Youth Workers
Payment: £8.92 per hour
We are looking for candidates with the following qualities:
- Minimum BSL Level 2 communication skills
- At least 1-year previous experience of working with children and young people
- Possess current PVG registration to work with children, or be eligible for PVG registration to work with children
- Able to work as part of a team
- Available to work during anti-social hours
Closing date: Friday 22nd April 2016
For an informal discussion, please contact
Application packs are available from:
Lisa Roy, Deaf Action Head Office
49 Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QY - Tel: 0131 556 3128 - Fax: 0131 557 8283
Text: 0131 557 0419 - SMS: 07775 620757
Email: - Website:
PVG checks will be requested.
Applications welcome from all sections of the community.
We expect you will share our commitment to the core values of Deaf Action.
British Sign Language training will be provided if necessary.
Deaf Action is a Company Limited by Guarantee and registered in Scotland SC 396876. Scottish Charity Number SCO09898.
Events
/ Deaf Awareness TrainingDeaf Awareness training provided through See Hear Highland Education & Learning Services (SHHELS) NHS Highland, their approach to Deaf Awareness training changes the marketplace. The highly informative resource, which is free, gives the learner tools to gain knowledge at their own pace.
The training provided by means of an interactive DVD, which is perfectly simple to use and easy to navigate your way through. The learner will gain essential skills and knowledge that will allow you to communicate and interact effectively and efficiently with Deaf, Deafened, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing individuals.
The DVD is half an hour in total, which can be broken down in to manageable bite-sized chunks; it begins with a simple overview of the types of deafness and statistical information, leading on to ‘Do`s and “Don’ts’ in a given situation. Finally, there are some exercises to get you thinking about appropriate and non-appropriate conditions in relation to environment surroundings and body language.
Once the learner has completed the DVD, they will feel equipped to liaise with Deaf, Deafened, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing individuals in a professional and confident manner.
If you would like more information on how to access the Deaf awareness training for your organisation, please contact Jenny Liddell at
Click here for more information.
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/ Deaf Action Event
Spectacular Performance with Annie Bee
Wed 6th April 10am - 3pm
Come join Annie Bee the Clown for a fun-filled day of spectacular performance! Learn new skills and meet new people! Expect an exciting day of clowning, song and dance, drama games, puppetry and much more! Sign up for a new workshop!
Contact Alex Furneax to book your place!
SMS: 07816938176
Tel: 0131 652 3208
Email:
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Edsign lectures
Tuesday 26th April
Where: Paterson’s Land LG34
Sylvian Caschelin from the University of Strasbourg,TV Subtitling for deaf and hard of hearing people in France. He will be looking at the technology of Respeaking. As well as the usual BSL / English interpreter, there will also be an electronic notetaker working to screen because we thought this event might interest a wider audience of deaf and hard of hearing people.
Tuesday 3rd May
Rosemary Oram and Prof. Jemina Napier, Translating the Deaf Self. Reporting on a project about this Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project: Interpreters and translators form a large part of everyday life for Deaf people in interaction with hearing communities. The project is investigating the effects of being interpreted on how others perceive Deaf people and in turn how Deaf people see themselves.
Tuesday 24th May
Rob Skinner and Prof. Jemina Napier, Justisigns. Reporting on a European project about improving sign language interpreting in justice contexts, e.g. dealings with lawyers, courts and the police.
At all events, there will be BSL / English interpreters. Some of these presentations will also be in BSL - good practice for advanced BSL students in receptive skills.
All lectures are followed by lively discussion sessions.
All welcome. Please see the Edsign website:
Facebook site:
Twitter feed: @EdSignLectures
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Are you deaf or hard of hearing?
Aged 16 – 25?
Thinking about going to College?
College Preparation Course: Spend a week in City of Glasgow College and find out what being a college student is really like.
When: 6-10 June 2016
Time: 10am – 4pm each day
Where: City of Glasgow College
For more information contact:
Margaret Sharvin, Employment Adviser
Tel: 0141 341 5346
Mobile: 07436 267402
Email:
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/ Kayaking Course - Forth Canoe Club
Learn how to kayak and gain a 1 star qualification
When: Sundays 3rd April – 8th May 2016 (apart from 24th April)
Time: 12.30 – 2.30pm
Where: Forth Canoe Club, Edinburgh
For more information contact or to book your space:
Tel: 0141 341 5346
Email:
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/ SIGNATURE AWARDS – NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN
Nominations are open for the Signature Annual Awards. This year the awards event focuses on recognising and celebrating pioneers and unsung heroes, who through education and training are striving to break down the social and communication barriers between deaf, deafblind and hearing people.
Awards
The awards are free to enter and nominations are open across all eight new award categories.
The award categories are:
- Leadership in Education
- Emerging Teacher Award
- Enriching the Student Experience Award
- The Community Champion Award
- Educational Support Award
- Transforming Lives Through Education Award
- Training Initiative Award
- Signature Lifetime Achievement Award
To view the award categories, click here.
Start Your Nomination
The deadline for all nominations is 4.00pm on 15 July 2016.
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/ Election Event
Meet the 2016 Scottish Election candidates!