Deaf Awareness Week 2010 Tuesday, June 29, 2010 - 09:39

During Deaf Awareness Week (28 June - 4 July 2010) organisations held national and local events, to improve understanding of deafness by highlighting the different ways of communication used by deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

Society presents many barriers for deaf people to overcome, yet the stories of their inspirational learning achievements we come across during Adult Learners' Week, prove that learning can transform lives.

Alesia Parshutsina, aged 21, from Essex, is on her way to becoming a qualified teacher of British Sign Language, despite knowing barely any English until three years ago and being profoundly deaf.

Alesia's ambition to qualify as a teacher for deaf children is remarkable, not only because she is profoundly deaf, but also because until three years ago she knew barely any English.

There are few opportunities for deaf people in her native Belarus, so on leaving school, she came to the UK and signed up at the City Lit on its ‘New Start in the UK' course. "From the word go Alesia had a real thirst for knowledge," says Sian Reeves, her nominator and senior co-ordinator, Skills for Life, at the City Lit. "I have never seen such progress made by a foreign deaf person new to the UK."

Not only has she progressed through the Entry Levels of literacy and numeracy faster than most students, she has also taken British Sign Language, CLAIT and ECDL qualifications and branched out into such diverse subjects as Thai massage, watercolours and GCSE Maths.

Alesia acts as a peer teacher in class, volunteers and works part-time as PA to the Director of Empowering Deaf society and is an assistant teacher of British Sign Language.

Alesia said:

"In the UK I have the opportunity to enjoy life fully, get education I am interested in and no one pointing the finger at me because I am deaf."

Tony Kindley, aged 25, from Northumberland, had difficulty finding a job since leaving school - which he puts down to being profoundly deaf - but after a 13 week training programme in retail, he has secured his first ever job.

When Tony left school at age 16, and tried to find a job, his applications were met with no response. Tony was angry and frustrated, feeling it was because he was profoundly deaf, having contracted meningitis at just 4 months old.

Jobcentre Plus referred Tony to an ESF-funded project at Wansbeck Centre for Voluntary Service (WCVS) where he showed an interest in retail. As part of his 13 week programme, placements were sourced at Tesco and Netto where he gained retail experience and impressed his colleagues. The opening of a new Asda store was the opportunity Tony was waiting for and he now has his first paid job with a part-time role at the store.

After leaving school, Tony passed his driving test without the help of a signer and continued learning to improve his chances of finding a job.

On behalf of Tony, his nominator Anne said:

"Tony has always wanted to learn and participate in courses to improve his personal and employment goals. Each achievement has been a milestone for Tony."

Tony has completed courses including AQA Design and Technology, food technology and geography, EDEXCEL art & design and C&G Skillpower.

David Ewens, NIACE Programme Director, Equality and Diversity, said:

"NIACE is committed to ensuring that Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing adult learners are fully included in and have full access to the range of learning opportunities that exist in all post-16 education sectors; from higher and further education to informal learning in adult and community learning settings."

"We contribute to partnership projects seeking to improve the qualifications of communication support workers for deaf adult learners, improvements in learning British Sign language, and ways of enabling adults who have acquired deafness to know what opportunities and support are available."