How Companies Can Support Deaf Awareness Week
Deaf Awareness Week, taking place from the 6th to the 12th of May, provides an invaluable opportunity to showcase the experiences, challenges, and achievements of the Deaf community. Here, our PR and Social Media Executive talks about when her interest in sign language started, how companies can support Deaf Awareness Week and what it means to be deaf aware.
My Story…
I’ve always had an interest in languages, but in particular, sign language. I think it stemmed from my own struggles with hearing. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that I realised how much I relied on lip reading to help piece sentences together. When people wore masks or weren’t looking at me when speaking, I could hardly make out what they were saying unless they spoke louder.
But my passion for wanting to learn sign language started when I worked as a bartender, where one of our regulars was deaf and used sign language to communicate. I noticed that when he came to the bar, he just pointed at the menu to place his order. I thought it was so unfair how he couldn’t communicate with us like we could communicate with other customers. I was at university then, and they had a British Sign Language (BSL) Society where a deaf tutor would teach us sign language by signing to songs. In my 2nd year, I became the secretary of the BSL society and was honoured to receive my sign name, Mermaid. It made me happy to know that I could communicate with any future customers who are deaf and use sign language to communicate at work. And you could tell it made them happy too!
What is deaf awareness week?
Deaf Awareness Week is all about raising awareness of hearing loss, promoting inclusivity, and educating others. The week can be filled with activities, speeches, workshops, gatherings, and sign language classes, bringing together the deaf community to promote their culture and highlight issues related to hearing loss. But it’s also an opportunity for people to learn and be educated to help make daily life more deaf-friendly, accessible and provide equal opportunities.
How can companies celebrate deaf awareness week?
Firstly, you have to understand your purpose. Are you looking to spread the word, promote inclusivity, or educate people? There are many ways for both companies and individuals to get involved during Deaf Awareness Week.
One of my favourite ideas is to host educational workshops to learn basic sign language and communication tips. Knowing simple sign language can make a huge difference in making deaf people feel welcome and comfortable. Plus, it helps employees or clients to be more deaf-aware and enhances their communication skills while also gaining an insight into deaf culture.
If companies want to promote inclusivity, they can evaluate and enhance accessibility within the workplace. If the work environment is already accessible, then why not share this on social media during Deaf Awareness Week to inspire other companies to make their workplaces more accessible?
Other ideas include supporting charities or featuring employees who use sign language on digital platforms to share their stories and celebrate their contributions and experiences.
While Deaf Awareness Week is an opportunity to demonstrate a company's commitment to an inclusive environment, it's also about raising awareness and providing equal opportunities for the deaf community.
At Dragonfly PR, we assist our clients in finding relevant awareness days to promote their business values, including accessibility, sustainability, inclusivity, and other significant themes. Our PR specialists are content creation and social media management experts25555. For more information on our PR and digital marketing services contact 0114 349 5345 or email hello@dragonflypr.co.uk