BID Services with Deaf People News Feed

Local Restaurant Curries on Raising Money

henry.skinner@bid.org.uk (Henry Skinner) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:27:43 GMT

Kababish restaurants, famous for Tandoori and Balti cuisine, have been raising money for local charities by taking a trip back in time to the 1980’s

To raise money for an array of local charities, including BID services with Deaf people, and to celebrate their 20th anniversary the restaurants, based in Moseley and Sutton Coldfield, have been charging 1980’s prices for all meals from Sunday – Thursday throughout June.

The ‘Back to the 80’s’ initiative has been set up in association with the great Midlands fun Run, an event which BID’s running team that took part in earlier
this year.

Terry Yarnall, Development Officer for BID and running team member said: “The support we have had from Kababish has been great. They set this idea in place to help charities across the Midlands and it really is a great initiative.

“People can go out and enjoy great food at prices from the 1980’s knowing they are going to help improve people’s lives.”

BID will using any funds they receive from ‘Back to the 80’s’ to help to continue the running of services and projects to support Deaf people in their everyday lives.

BID are advising anyone who would like to take advantage of the 1980’s prices on offer to act fast as the offer finishes at the end of June and time is running out!

Making music more visible

henry.skinner@bid.org.uk (Henry Skinner) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:54:04 GMT

The UK’s first purpose built Deaf Cultural Centre and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) are working in partnership to explore visual and aural links of Mussorgsky’s orchestral work ‘Pictures at an Exhibition.’

As part of a newly established education project CBSO musicians and Deaf artists Fiona McLean, Iva Tetauerova and Deaf musician Sannah Gulamani have been working with four local hearing impaired schools to develop creative performances that explore how musical themes can be represented visually, enabling creative music making opportunities.

The main focus of the workshops has been to establish how Mussorgsky’s work can be interpreted through motion and colour, as Lisa Davies, Deaf Cultural Centre Arts Network Coordinator explains; “Colour has always been an important part of representation in life. We see it every day and are accustomed to its connotations; red as danger or black meaning sombre.

“We are hoping to introduce this kind of visual representation into the performance at the Cultural Centre and although many of the audience won’t hear the music they will be able understand its emotive content through symbolic movement and colours.”

The final performance, taking place on Monday 30th June, will be attended by the pupils, their families and the teachers involved in creating the performance.

“It is really important to everyone involved that they are there to see the creative ideas and input on stage. Everyone involved in developing the creative performance has contributed ideas and it will be really great for them to see it come to fruition through a very unique style of performance.” Continued Lisa.

If you want more information please contact us in contact details section.

Specialist Support Service Gains Momentum

henry.skinner@bid.org.uk (Henry Skinner) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:39:25 GMT

Birmingham based charity BID Services with Deaf people have been meeting with professionals within the palliative care sector to raise awareness of their Specialist Support Service and how it can support Deaf people during end of life care.

The service, which was established using NHS section 64 funding, provides support to both patients and carers by developing inclusive and accessible channels of communication between all parties involved during end of life care through a supportive and personal approach, as Claire Wade, Service coordinator explains; “My job is to be there for the patient on a more informal level, so they have someone to talk to and to help them understand what is happening more clearly.”

To raise awareness of this new service Claire has been meeting with professionals from hospices and care teams across the Midlands giving a series of presentations about the service and her role.

The response to the presentations has been very positive and Claire is happy that things are progressing well. “I have met some great people and we are building a really strong reputation. People can see the value of our service, the benefits it brings and, although they might not need the service now, they know it is there and that they can access it.”

If you are interested in finding out more about the service, would like to meet Claire or would like her to present to your organisation please contact:

Claire Wade

BID services with Deaf people

Ladywood Rd, Ladywood

Birmingham

B16 8SZ

Tel: 0121 246 6100

Email: claire.wade@bid.org.uk

Nature Centre help ASDAN student learn new skills

henry.skinner@bid.org.uk (Henry Skinner) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:11:33 GMT

BID Services with Deaf People, a local charity based in Ladywood, have been working with the Nature Centre in Cannon Hill Park to provide a work experience placement to a profoundly Deaf student.

The student, Monique Adams, has enjoyed her work placement after being out of education for 12 years following a series of negative experiences in mainstream education.

Monique at Nature Centre

Before joining BID’s Employment training scheme – ASDAN Life Skills course - Monique had low self esteem and confidence with no career aspirations but after working with BID she is now confident enough to work at the Nature Centre one day a week for four weeks. ASDAN is part of BID’s Employment Team training for Deaf people with additional needs to gain confidence in their skills and enable them to live independently as well train to gain employment.

Monique has always expressed and interest in working at the Nature Centre and has been positive in moving on to new challenges in her life. The Nature Centre have been very generous with their time and support and have showed an excellent attitude towards supporting Monique who adapted to life at the Nature Centre by communicating with staff using a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.

BID’s Employment Team have worked hard to make sure Monique has had the support she needs and have been working alongside other departments within BID such as Supporting People and Care Management.

“Monique is currently living in supported living accommodation which enables her to live independently with support available when needed. Since being involved with BID Monique has enhanced her life skills and taken part in Tai Chi, Yoga Sessions, and cooking lessons at the newly developed Deaf Cultural Centre.” said Michelle Williams of BID’s Employment Team.

I was lucky enough to interview Monique during her work placement at the Nature Centre and she was happy and smiling while checking and cleaning one of the animal huts.

Monique preparing food

Monique said "I enjoyed working with animals and one day I want to become a vet working with dogs and cats". The Nature Centre has been happy to take Monique on and the staff have even learnt some basic British Sign Language such as signing Thank you and goodbye. Monique has fitted in to the Nature Centre well and when interviewed, she said she was committed to completing the work experience programme she has enjoyed so much.

If you want to have more information on BID's Employment Team please click on this weblink: Employment

People happy to Sign Up!

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:20:58 GMT

BID Services with Deaf Peoples’ latest round of British Sign Language (BSL) courses have been filled continuing the success of the charity’s Sign Up! campaign.

BID has been working hard to promote the continued learning of BSL through out the West Midlands and recently organised a series of taster sessions that took place at the Deaf Cultural Centre during Deaf Awareness Week.

“The sessions went really well. We had a good mix of people from different backgrounds and everyone was interested to learn.” Said BID’s Marketing, Campaigns and PR Manager Anthony Beeby.

The rapid response to BID latest selection of taster courses and the recent enrolment drive shows how popular learning sign language is becoming.

Although the current courses are now full BID will be organising more taster sessions in the near future and will soon be announcing enrolment dates for the September intake of level one and two courses.

For more information on British Sign Language Courses please contact Sue Curley:

Voice: 0121 450 7767

Email: bsl@bid.org.uk

If you want to print or copy of the poster please clickhere

Local Charity keeps on running

henry.skinner@bid.org.uk (Henry Skinner) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:15:07 GMT

A running group made up of staff from local charity BID Services with Deaf People are celebrating their successful completion of the 7^th Great Midlands Fun Run.

The group of fun runners, made up of Terry Yarnall, Charlotte Small, Ellen Knowles, Jessica Heller, Laura Knowles, Anthony Beeby and Roy Breeze were running to raise funds for some of BID’s services and long standing projects.

As a charity BID offers support to profoundly Deaf, Deafened and Hard of Hearing people across the West Midlands, working to reduce the communication barriers experienced by Deaf people on a daily basis, raise awareness of Deafness and Deaf issues and provide much needed services and support.

To make sure they didn’t let their supporters down on the day the group have been training together to build up their stamina and fitness for running over longer distances. Speaking after the event Terry Yarnall explained; “We have some quite experienced runners in the group but for some people this was the first real distance run they have done. We have been training together after work on Friday’s, just doing a few laps around the reservoir in Edgbaston close to our offices. This has helped us build a good team spirit and get some practice in.”

The group all managed to complete the run in less than 1hour 40 minutes. “I think our fastest runner came in at about 1 hour 10, but everyone finished around the hour and half mark. I am really proud of the team and the hard work we have put into our training.” Added Terry

The BID race team are currently collecting in their sponsorship and will be announcing the total raised on the BID website in the next few days. Anyone who is interested in taking part in a fundraising event for BID or would like to make a donation is advised to check the BID website where regular information on fundraising events will posted.

Picture shown runners before the fun run

Runners showing off their names

Two of the runners showing off their medals

BID Deaf Awareness Week Events Announced

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:49:15 GMT

Deaf Awareness Week 2008 runs from 5th to 11th May and organisations working with Deaf people across the country are inviting everyone to 'Look At Me'. The theme aims to improve understanding of the different types of deafness by highlighting the many different methods of communication used by deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people, such as sign language and lipreading.

BID Services with Deaf People are proud to be taking part and will be inviting people to a range of events held at the Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham, but also around the country with it's partners in other locations.

The events for the week are:

Tuesday 6th May:

County Hall Deaf Awareness Exhibition from 10am to 3pm, at Durham Deafened Support Open Day, Lee House, County Durham.
Primary School visit to the Deaf Cultural Centre for tour and Deaf Awareness session.

Wednesday 7th May:

College High School Deaf Unit to visit the Deaf Cultural Centre at 9.30am for a tour.
BID, Deaf Cultural Centre, RNID, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and West Midlands Fire Service information stalls at the Deaf Cultural Centre

Thursday 8th May:

Deaf Awareness Information Day from 10.30am to 3pm at Rising Brook Baptist Church, Wolverhampton Road, Stafford, ST17 9LT.
Durham Deafened Support 10th Anniversary Party, from 10.30am to 3pm, at County Hall, Durham
School to visit the Deaf Cultural Centre for Deaf Cultural Awareness Day with Deaf artist.

Friday 9th May:

Deaf Awareness Exhibition from 10am to 2pm, Age Concern office, Stanley, County Durham.
Deaf Awareness Exhibition from 10.30am until 3pm - Kidsgrove Town Hall, Liverpool Road, Kidsgrove ST7 4H.
Free British Sign Language Taster courses at the Deaf Cultural Centre 10.00am to 4.00pm. For more information - click here.

Saturday 10th May:

Deaf Asian Open meeting from 1pm to 5pm at the Deaf Cultural Centre, Birmingham

If you would like to take part in Deaf Awareness Week, visit BID or the Deaf Cultural Centre, or want more information please email info@bid.org.uk or call us on 0121 246 6100 (voice) or 0121 246 6101 (textphone).

Now enrolling for BSL level 2 Courses

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:41:27 GMT

Would you like to learn British Sign Language?

Want to communicate with Deaf friends, colleagues and clients?

Why not come to BID and learn BSL (British Sign Language)?

BID Services with Deaf People are now enroling for British Sign Language Level 2 courses.

To enrol please contact Sue Curley on 0121 450 7767, or email bsl@bid.org.uk

The courses are held at BID Services with Deaf People, Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood Road, Birmingham, B16 8SZ

Start Date 24th April 2008
End Date 18th December 2008

Course Day/Time Tuesday 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost £250 + £90 (assessment fee)

Please note: prices correct at time of going to press and may be subject to change to reflect CACDP fee increases.

Further information about enrolment day:

On enrolment day you will be required to complete some forms and make your course and assesment fee payment in full. The fee for those on any form of means tested benefitswill be £50, pleasebring proof of this on enrolment day. However you will have to pay the full assesment fee if you wish to receive your accreditation.

New Supporting People Service Launched In Durham

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:06:07 GMT

BID Services with Deaf people are launching a new Supporting People Service for the profoundly Deaf community in County Durham.

The new service, that provides support to vulnerable Deaf people in a number of areas including housing related issues, health and wellbeing, budgeting and money management, training and employment and advice and help to enable moving to an appropriate property, has been established to enable Deaf people to live independently.

In addition to the high level of support the new Supporting People Service will help to break down existing communication barriers that prevent access to information and support as all of the staff use British Sign Language as the primary means of communication. This will make communication between support workers and service users more fluid and effective; something that is considered to be essential for service delivery.

“This is the first service of its type in County Durham and is a real positive for the Deaf community. I am Deaf and have Deaf friends in the local area and we all know how difficult it can be to get information and support because of the communication barriers and a lack of understanding about Deafness.

“Being able to access information through BSL will take the frustration out of communication, but more importantly Deaf people who require support will have better access to support that will help to maintain independence and quality of life.” Said Lee Elliot, Support Worker for BID.

The service, which is now taking referrals, is made up of three support Workers, Lee Elliot, Dorothy Forster, Margaret Bain and Senior Support Worker Zara Kelly who are all looking forward to working with the community.

“The most important thing about this type of service is being able to work within the community effectively. For this to happen you need to have the right knowledge, communication skills and staff. The team we have put in place have all of these and we know that we can really make a difference through the support we can provide.” Commented Zara Kelly, Senior Support Worker.

BID are encouraging any Deaf people who feel they could benefit from this new service to get in touch and are hoping to link with a number of different organisations throughout County Durham area to raise awareness of the service.

To find out more information please contact:

Telephone / Minicom: 0845 678 9880

Email: info@durhamsp.co.uk

ENDS

For more information on this story to arrange an interview please contact:

Anthony Beeby
Campaigns Manager
BID Services with Deaf people

Tel: 0121 450 7749
Email: anthony.beeby@bid.org.uk

Notes to Editors:
About BID Services with Deaf People:
BID works to support the Deaf community in the West Midlands. It has travelled a long way from its modest beginnings in the latter part of the 19th Century, when its prime function was "to provide relief to Deaf people and attend to their spiritual needs".

BID has developed a reputation for providing innovative, high quality services to meet the many and varied needs of Deaf people. Today BID provides Care Management, Deaf Awareness, Support & Advice, Interpreting Services, Youth Work, and Equipment Sales amongst a growing portfolio of services.

Successful partnership and funding arrangements have been developed with colleges, housing associations, trusts, businesses and other organisations, which has helped BID to become more effective in pursuing its aims and objectives.

But still BID depends to a large extent upon private and voluntary donations to continue its work. Whether it's providing toys and videos for young Deaf children, or supporting Deaf people through interpreting or advocacy, we still need help – contact the Fundraising Department on 0121 246 6100 for information on how you can help.

Now enrolling for BSL level 1 Courses

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:29:10 GMT

Would you like to learn British Sign Language?

Want to communicate with Deaf friends, colleagues and clients?

Why not come to BID and learn BSL (British Sign Language)?

BID Services with Deaf People are now enroling for British Sign Language Level 1 courses.

To enrol please contact Sue Curley on 0121 450 7767, or email bsl@bid.org.uk

The courses are held at BID Services with Deaf People, Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood Road, Birmingham, B16 8SZ

Start Date 5th March 2008
End Date 2nd July 2008

Course Day/Time Wednesday 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost £155 + £46 (assessment fee)

Please note: prices correct at time of going to press and may be subject to change to reflect CACDP fee increases.

Further information about enrolment day:

On enrolment day you will be required to complete some forms and make your course and Assessment payment in full. The fee for those on any form of means tested benefits will be £30, please bring proof of this on the enrolment day. However you will have to pay the full assessment fee if you wish to receive your accreditation.

Mayor Helps Deaf students learn about Citizenship

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:38:42 GMT

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham has helped a group of Deaf students learn more about Citizenship with a tour of the Council House.

Students Nichola Fox, Monique Adams, Pauline Stoney, Clive Gerrard, Mazar Sufi, Nasreen Akhar and Ian Jones – members of local charity BID Services with Deaf People’s Life Skills Group - were invited on the tour to see where local political activity takes place and how the processes behind it work.

The tour began with a greeting from Lord Mayor, Councillor Randal Brew, OBE in the main reception room before moving on to take a look at his Parlour. During the greeting the Lord Mayor commented on how happy he was to meet the group and his previous visits to the new Deaf Cultural Centre in Ladywood Road. “We have been to the Deaf Cultural Centre twice, once for the official opening with the Princess Royal and then for a longer look around, you made us feel very welcome.” He said.

After the greeting the group were given an insight into the history of the Council House, previous Lord Mayors and the important role the venue has played in Birmingham’s governance and political history.

James Mclean, Life Skills Trainer, (the groups’ teacher and elected representative) greeted the Lord Mayor on behalf of BID and was impressed with how the group took everything in. “Politics is a confusing area but the group understood everything and had a good grasp of how local politics works. They were shown some very important areas like the Council Chamber and learned how elected representatives can vote. It was great for the group to get a first hand look at the environment where everything takes place. They were able to visualise what happens there which is important for Deaf students. It brought it to life and helped build their understanding even more. They asked lots of questions and I am very proud of them.”

To ensure that the tour and the information provided remained accessible for the Deaf students a BSL / English interpreter was present at all times to relay the information to the group. The tour will contribute to the Life Skills Groups’ Route to Work Project by forming part of their Life Skills Training.

The tour, which lasted from 11:30 - 13:00, finished in the Lord Mayor’s dining room with a brief history of the chains of office of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. The students found the tour so interesting they even gave the Mayor a wave of hands (Deaf Applause) for leading the tour so well.

“It has been a pleasure to have you here. We have met some wonderful people and would like to thank you for coming to see us today.” Commented Lord Mayor Randal Brew on behalf of himself and the Lady Mayoress.

Ends
---

Media Enquiries Contact:
Anthony Beeby, Campaigns Manager on 0121 450 7749
Email: anthony.beeby@bid.org.uk

Notes to Editors:
BID works to support the Deaf community in the West Midlands. It has travelled a long way from its modest beginnings in the latter part of the 19th Century, when its prime function was "to provide relief to Deaf people and attend to their spiritual needs".

BID has developed a reputation for providing innovative, high quality services to meet the many and varied needs of Deaf people. Today BID provides Care Management, Deaf Awareness, Support & Advice, Interpreting Services, Youth Work, and Equipment Sales amongst a growing portfolio of services.

Successful partnership and funding arrangements have been developed with colleges, housing associations, trusts, businesses and other organisations, which has helped BID to become more effective in pursuing its aims and objectives.

But still BID depends to a large extent upon private and voluntary donations to continue its work. Whether it's providing toys and videos for young Deaf children, or supporting Deaf people through interpreting or advocacy, we still need help – contact the Fundraising Department on 0121 246 6100 for information on how you can help.

Local Deaf charity works to raise standards

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:56:11 GMT

Local Deaf charity is working towards raising educational standards

BID services with Deaf people have successfully become part of a major European project that is set to break down educational barriers faced by people with learning disabilities and sensory impairment.

GOAL.NET, which is being lead by Nottingham Trent University, will use a series of interactive computer games to develop basic vocational skills such as travel training, communication support, CV writing, job search, work experience, health and safety training, employment rights and benefits advice.

Funding for the project has been attained from the Leonardo Da Vinci programme that aims to improve the provision of work based learning. The programme is part of the European Commission’s new Life Long Learning Programme which aims to build skilled workforces throughout Europe.

The project is made up of 5 organisations working as partners, these are Nottingham Trent University, BID Services with Deaf people, Greenhat Interactive, all UK based; Zgura-M, based in Bulgaria and Greece based E-Isotis. All of the partners will be developing different areas of the project based on their expertise.

BID have been brought in to focus specifically on the educational needs of Deaf people and are interested to see how the project can help Deaf people over come the communications barriers faced in an educational environment.

“For Deaf people learning new skills can be extremely difficult because of the language and communication barriers that exist on a daily basis. Developing new and innovative e-learning tools is vital if we are to move educational development forward, promote independence and create accessibility.”

Commented Steve Richardson, Project co-ordinator for BID.

Representatives from the 5 organisations working on GOAL.NET recently came together for the first Transitional Partner Meeting at the UK’s first purpose built Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham. The meeting, which was held from 6th – 8th December, brought the representatives together to discuss how the project can move forward, allocate roles and responsibilities and provide an opportunity to establish a spirit of co-operation and team building through getting to know each other better.

“The topics of the meeting might not sound too interesting but we really made some good progress. For the project to work it was essential that we put the foundations in place and made sure we are all on the same page.”

Steve went on to say...

“The most exciting parts of the project are yet to come and we are confident that the changes we can make will bring real benefits around how e-learning is used in educating people with learning disabilities and sensory impairment.”

For more information on this story or to arrange an interview with a BID spokesperson please contact:

Anthony Beeby
Campaign Manager
BID Services with Deaf people
Deaf Cultural Centre
Ladywood Rd
Ladywood
Birmingham
B16 8SZ

Tel: 0121 450 7749
Email: anthony.beeby@bid.org.uk
---
Notes to Editors:
About BID Services with Deaf People:
BID works to support the Deaf community in the West Midlands. It has travelled a long way from its modest beginnings in the latter part of the 19th Century, when its prime function was "to provide relief to Deaf people and attend to their spiritual needs".

BID has developed a reputation for providing innovative, high quality services to meet the many and varied needs of Deaf people. Today BID provides Care Management, Deaf Awareness, Support & Advice, Interpreting Services, Youth Work, and Equipment Sales amongst a growing portfolio of services.

Successful partnership and funding arrangements have been developed with colleges, housing associations, trusts, businesses and other organisations, which has helped BID to become more effective in pursuing its aims and objectives.

But still BID depends to a large extent upon private and voluntary donations to continue its work. Whether it's providing toys and videos for young Deaf children, or supporting Deaf people through interpreting or advocacy, we still need help – contact the Fundraising Department on 0121 246 6100 for information on how you can help.

Enrolment for BSL levels 1 and 2

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:28:01 GMT

Want to learn a new language?

Want to communicate with Deaf friends, colleagues and clients?

Why not come to BID and learn BSL (British Sign Language)?

Or have you already completed Level 1 and want to study Level 2 in a unique environment?

We will shortly be enroling for both Level 1 and 2 - dates will be publicised soon, or contact us here for further information!

Did you know that BSL became officially recognised by the UK Government in April 2003, and is used by a large number of culturally and pre-lingually Deaf people of all ages and cultures.

“Learning British Sign Language is a great deal of fun and very rewarding”, comments Sue Curley, BSL Course Co-ordinator. “It is surprising just how helpful BSL can be. Many employers now recognise the need to provide services aimed at the Deaf Community – and a good first step is a level one course in BSL.”

So why not have a go at learning a new, useful skill?

For further information please contact:

Sue Curley
BID Services with Deaf People

email: bsl@bid.org.uk

Phone: 0121 246 6100

Local charity makes 2008 the Year of Communication

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:35:17 GMT

Local Charity BID services with Deaf people is hoping to make 2008 a good
year for communication.

The charity, which is campaigning to increase the number of sign language learners in Birmingham and the West Midlands, are continuing to raise awareness about effectively communicating with Deaf people through the release of their top 5 communication tips for service providers and retailers.

Anthony Beeby, Campaigns Manager at BID believes that big changes can be made with these small recommendations.

“Our communications tips are just 5 little examples of how shop owners, retail staff and other service providers can make a real difference. We often receive reports from the Deaf community that they experience communication barriers daily, which is very upsetting and disheartening."

“These tips will reduce some of the barriers faced. They won’t solve all of the problems but they are a starting point and we are hoping that people who see the difference will take the next step of Deaf Awareness Training or learning British Sign Language.”

The Top 5 Tips are available on the BID website under the ‘communications tips’ heading (www.bid.org.uk). Anyone interested in learning British Sign Language or booking a Deaf Awareness Training course is advised to contact the BID communications team on 0121 246 6100, Textphone 0121 246 6101 or email info@bid.org.uk.

Local charity calls for more Christmas awareness

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:50:38 GMT

BID Services with Deaf people are urging retailers across the Midlands to be more Deaf Aware this festive season.

The call for more awareness about the communication needs of Deaf people has been generated in anticipation of the busy shopping days ahead and the pressure this will put on retail staff to deal with customers more quickly than they usually would.

“It can take time for a Deaf person to make sure they are fully understood and we are concerned that, in the busy shopping periods, retail staff will not have the time available to communicate effectively. For many Deaf people accessing mainstream services and retail outlets is problematic enough, but when combined with the pressures of Christmas shopping it can be a daunting experience.

Every year we are told about people’s bad experiences; customers shouting or becoming angry about the time a member of staff is spending with a Deaf person or shop assistants just ignoring them to serve a hearing person instead because communication is not happening at all.

These problems have existed for a long time but the Christmas rush makes things even more difficult. We are trying to raise awareness around improving communication and encouraging people to show more patience, understanding and make a few small changes that will make a big difference”, explained Henry Skinner, Campaigns and Information Officer at BID.

To help retailers make this difference BID have released their top 5 tips for enhancing communication with Deaf people. The information is taken from BID’s fully accredited Deaf Awareness Training course and gives simple advice and guidance;

Don’t be nervous – try to be open and communicate naturally
Use gesture and body movements to help explain where something is located or when directing someone
Make sure the person has a good view of your face and the lighting is good - this helps with lip-reading and clearly shows your facial expression
Reduce background noise and use your loop system – this is especially helpful for hearing aid users
Have a pen a paper ready

BID are keen to stress that these are just a few things that can help to enhance communication with Deaf people and that there is much more that can be done to make things better.

Henry continued…

“It’s important that shop-owners and retailers understand that these are just a few hints and tips to get the ball rolling. They won’t solve all of the communication problems but will help to make their staff and Deaf people’s
Christmas and New Year much better and less stressful.

The most effective way to change things for Deaf people is to make sure staff are given recognised Deaf Awareness Training. This helps create a much better experience for Deaf customers and staff as they feel more confident and assured through developing new communication skills.”

Downloadable copies of the top 5 tips are available at www.bid.org.uk and www.deafculturalcentre.com.

For more information on this story or to find out more please contact:

Anthony Beeby
Campaigns Manager
BID Services with Deaf people
Deaf Cultural Centre
Ladywood Rd
Ladywood
Birmingham
B16 8SZ

Tel: 0121 450 7749
Email: anthony.beeby@bid.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

About BID Services with Deaf People:
BID works to support the Deaf community in the West Midlands. It has travelled a long way from its modest beginnings in the latter part of the 19th Century, when its prime function was "to provide relief to Deaf people and attend to their spiritual needs".

BID has developed a reputation for providing innovative, high quality services to meet the many and varied needs of Deaf people. Today BID provides Care Management, Deaf Awareness, Support & Advice, Interpreting Services, Youth Work, and Equipment Sales amongst a growing portfolio of services.

Successful partnership and funding arrangements have been developed with colleges, housing associations, trusts, businesses and other organisations, which has helped BID to become more effective in pursuing its aims and objectives.

But still BID depends to a large extent upon private and voluntary donations to continue its work. Whether it's providing toys and videos for young Deaf children, or supporting Deaf people through interpreting or advocacy, we still need help – contact the Fundraising Department on 0121 246 6100 for information on how you can help.

BID looks to recruit Supporting People Manager

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:18:02 GMT

BID has provided high quality services for Deaf People in the West Midlands for over 100 years. Having successfully grown our Supporting People Service we are now seeking a professional and first rate…

SUPPORTING PEOPLE MANAGER (NATIONAL)
£39K circa

You will have extensive knowledge of the aims and background of the Supporting People programme and the associated quality assessment framework, with experience of contract monitoring. You will be responsible for our large team of Support Workers and you will ensure that our existing services and contracts continue to be delivered to a high quality standard and new services are established and developed in line with contractual standards. You will also take the lead in submitting tenders and developing new services.

You will work directly for the Chief Executive and have the attributes listed in the person specification, knowledge of British Sign Language is desirable but not essential.

Closing Date : Close of business Tuesday 27th November 2007.

Want to know more about the role - see the jobs page or click here.

Palliative Care Support Service for Deaf launched

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:31:30 GMT

BID Services with Deaf people have developed a Specialist Support Service that will enhance the delivery of palliative care to Deaf people.

For the Service's webpage - please click here.

The service, which is funded by the Department of Health under Section 64, will use specialist support staff to enhance communication and provide vital links between Deaf people and their care professionals, creating a more inclusive experience during end of life care. The move to establish this type of service has been driven by BID’s first hand experience supporting members of the Deaf community during the final stages of life; something Terry Yarnall, Service Development Officer, who helped set up the service has experienced:

“We support a huge range of clients in many situations but few are as emotionally strenuous as end of life care. You have to be involved to see where the gaps are and fully understand the confusion and isolation some Deaf people experience.

“If Deaf people who require palliative care do not receive the appropriate support common effects of Deafness, such as isolation, fear, stress and a significant lack of understanding as to what is happening to and around them are dramatically increased. This combination of fear and confusion can make the final stages of life for profoundly Deaf people, stressful, undignified and extremely lonely.”

BID’s ultimate aim is to develop a well rounded and balanced service that provides support for Deaf patients and care professionals, while improving knowledge of Deafness in professional circles by offering educational courses such as Deaf Awareness Training. It is hoped that this will give the service an extra dimension by offering the opportunity to address the needs of Deaf patients through a learning experience led by Deaf professionals.

Terry went on to say;

“We understand that developing new initiatives is as much about education as it is about the support we can provide, the two really go hand in hand. If we can improve the level of knowledge then professionals can better understand the service we offer, and in turn, utilise the support to its full capacity.

“We want to work with people in the palliative care field to shape and drive our service forward. By working together we can make a real difference and create significant, positive changes. ”

In order to ensure that a comprehensive service is provided BID are looking to work alongside a range of palliative care professionals to help shape and guide the services’ evolution. If you are interested in finding out how you can support this new development or become involved in our working groups please contact:

Anthony Beeby
Campaigns Manager
BID Services with Deaf people
Ladywood Rd
Ladywood
Birmingham
B16 8SZ

Tel: (0121) 246 6188
Email: anthony.beeby@bid.org.uk

Part time Serving Roles available at the Centre

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:35:31 GMT

Further to BID's move to the new Deaf Cultural Centre, we are now looking to recruit Serving Staff for our Cafe in the Deaf Cultural Centre.

To view them visit the Jobs section at www.bid.org.uk.

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New Support Worker Jobs Available

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:52:25 GMT

Further to BID's move to the new Deaf Cultural Centre, we are now looking to recruit two Support Worker positions for our team.

To view them visit the Jobs section at www.bid.org.uk.

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Charity happy that Brummies want to ‘Sign up’

ian.skelton@bid.org.uk (Ian Skelton) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:00:13 GMT

BID Services with Deaf people are celebrating the positive response they have had to their ‘Sign Up’ campaign.

The campaign was created to raise awareness of British Sign Language (BSL) and encourage people to take part in taster sessions, enrol on courses or continue their learning experiences.

The campaign aims to introduce 250 people to BSL in a 12 month period. So far the results have been extremely promising with 96 people signing up in just under 4 months.

Anthony Beeby, Campaigns Manager at BID is extremely happy with the results so far.

“To have such a positive response to the campaign at this early stage is fantastic. We have had a very good mix of people from first time and fastrack learners, people returning for the more advanced levels and people who just want to try it out by taking part in a taster course.

“It is really important that we build on this and continue working to raise awareness of BSL and increase the number of sign language users in Birmingham and the West Midlands.”

To fully capitalise on the current success of the campaign BID have already organised another taster course for 10th November. The course will take place from 12:30 – 2:30pm at the Deaf Cultural Centre in Ladywood, Birmingham.

This will be the first taster session held in the purpose built centre and will give people the chance to experience the new learning environment. Sue Curley, BSL Coordinator at BID said

“We are really looking forward to hosting our first taster session in the Deaf Cultural Centre. It is a wonderful, open learning environment with plenty of space the taster session will let people sample their future learning space if they decide to take BSL further.”

If you would like to ‘Sign Up’ and take part in the taster session please contact:

Sue Curley
Tel: 0121 450 7765
Email: sue.curley@bid.org.uk

For further information on this story, comments or interviews please contact

Anthony Beeby
Campaigns Manager
BID Services with Deaf people

Tel: 0121 450 7749
Email: anthony.beeby@bid.org.uk