Tailored courses for employers, GP surgeries, residential and care homes, retailers and employers

"Excellent - relevant to daily practice and extremely well put together."    Leckhampton Surgery

Deaf awareness training is available to organisations, groups and individuals. Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA) specialises in short 90-minute or two-hour courses that are tailored to the specific needs of different groups. These shorter courses benefit those who want to increase their general awareness of how to communicate more effectively with deaf and hard of hearing people. The courses are led by GDA's Jenny Hopkins, who has moderate to severe hearing loss herself and is a bi-lateral hearing-aid wearer.

WHAT EACH COURSE COVERS

GP Surgeries

• Introduction - About GDA
• GP Surgery responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010
• What does it feel like to be deaf or hard of hearing?
• The role of the BSL interpreter for a deaf BSL user, and why using a family member isn't always the best way
• Specific problems and cheap or free solutions for deaf and hard of hearing people when visiting their GP
• Making an appointment
• In the Waiting Room
• In the Consulting Room
• Picking up a Prescription
• Useful equipment
• The role of new technology

Care Homes

• Introduction - About GDA
• Care Home responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010
• What does it feel like to be deaf or hard of hearing?
• About hearing aids
• The importance of hearing-aid maintenance

Specific problems and cheap or free solutions that will help the hard of hearing elderly in care, and also staff and hearing residents 

General Deaf Awareness Training Workshop (suitable for employers, retailers etc)

• Introduction - about GDA
  Equality Act 2010
• What does it feel like to be deaf or hard of hearing?
• About Lip reading.
• Recognising when someone has a hearing impairment 
• Typical communication barriers 
• What you can do to help overcome communication barriers  
• Listening Aid Equipment - including 'How useful is that hearing loop?'.
• Advances in technology

Those wishing to work with Deaf BSL users are recommended to undertake more in-depth courses, and especially British Sign Language lessons.  Gloucestershire Deaf Association does not provide BSL lessons but courses are provided at our Community Centre by the BSL College, run by SouthWest Region Teacher of the Year Yvonne Cobb.