I write this article as more of a plea rather than a news item.
Like many other people, as well as growing up in the deaf community, I now work within the community and I have deaf friends and colleagues.
In recent times, I have started discussions with a Deaf person about general politics and current campaigns active within our community and it surprised me how many times I was met with a blank expression and then the standard reply in BSL ‘FOOOOW’ (the sign for I don’t know).
I decided to write this article as I have major concerns that information is not being shared as effectively as it could be – especially between deaf organisations or campaign groups and the people they are meant to be representing.
I am avid user of Twitter and Facebook. I make it my duty to observe what’s going on and follow campaigns with a keen interest. This interest, more than likely, stems from my time on the admin team at Spit The Dummy and Campaign (STDC).
I know from my own experience on STDC that people work extremely hard trying their best to solve issues and I am fully aware that getting the information out to the community is one of the hardest objectives when campaigning.
You may or may not be aware that at this moment in time there are numerous campaigns, one such campaign is called ‘stopChanges2ATW’ which is a group led by members of the deaf community and BSL interpreters who are trying to put a stop to the ridiculous changes that are affecting Access to work claims. One of their objectives is to raise funds to mount a legal challenge against the government (brilliant idea!)
Did you know there is a parliamentary review regarding Access to work happening on the 15th and 29th October?
Do you know that some people/organisations have been invited to give evidence at this parliamentary review?
If you do not then this highlights my main concern, which is that members from the deaf community do not know about these campaigns, which makes them feel they are not being given the chance to share their experiences.
There are various Facebook pages and web sites publicising campaigns and objectives but the majority of information is in English text and hardly any of the updates are provided by means of BSL clips.
In all fairness, if you are an organisation representing deaf people or working within the deaf community, then you should really be making your campaign objectives known by means of accessible information.
Organisations need to be using platforms such as Limping Chicken to publish campaigns, approaching Facebook groups such as STDC and Deaf Opinions and sharing your information on platforms that deaf people use. This sounds like common sense but it does not appear to be common practice.
If organisations receive information, I feel you should be approaching other organisations and ask them to share your information with their members. If you are invited to an event or approached to give evidence to parliament, for example, then let other organisations and the community know about it.
They may have crucial evidence, which will assist the common cause. Unite and work together, there seems to be far too much retaining of information which in turn makes people suspicious.
I know there is a lot of history between organisations but I think it is time to wipe the slate clean and work together, properly and effectively.
I’ve witnessed employees of deaf organisations wasting valuable time by trying to find out what is happening by means of third hand information on social media.
On occasion campaigns seem to be secretive. Some choose to hide behind anonymity. Scared to reveal their identity? I feel anonymous Twitter profiles do not help the situation, they appear to be constantly challenging people who are trying their best to make a change.
I am not saying ‘keep quiet’ but at least give constructive feedback or consider approaching people privately. I know why people or organisations choose to be anonymous, I will admit I considered not putting my name to this article, mainly because of the fear of negative feedback, but then again, why should we be fearful?
I suppose my main point is that we need to get rid of the fears, we need to stop hiding and rid ourselves of the fear of being criticised or challenged. Most people are campaigning for positive reasons; they are trying to make a change; but they can’t do it alone.
Teamwork is the best way to achieve success. Share your information with each other and most importantly, with the community, by means of accessible information.
Matt Dixon is a campaigner for the rights of sign language users, a sign language interpreter and a member of the Spit the Dummy and Campaign for BSL Act Campaign Team. You can follow Matt on Twitter @foreverbsl
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Jay
October 9, 2014
So true interpreting services are vastly over priced and it’s so true should be law every website should have a writin form of Bsl grammar minimum & ideally a wee signed video about what they do 🙂
Jen Dodds (@deafpower)
October 9, 2014
Yes, Matt – the more BSL, the better. It isn’t hard to film yourself and upload it to the internet.
I think we’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve also come a long way. At least deaf organisations are actually using Twitter and Facebook now!! 😉
lesley
October 9, 2014
This has gone on for years and is disgraceful, there is too much of “them and us”. I have to say much of this appears to be a way of power and control. I also feel (and this will not be popular) astonished that interpreters are involved with ATW reviews this is a total conflict if interest as they are not the clients, nor are the hearing reps of deaf organisations -this should be totally led by deaf people themselves, in spite if what some people ‘may’ think there are a great deal of deaf people perfectly capable of putting their points across without the input from those who have financial gain. Believe you me I do applaud interpreters/all communicators, and hearing people for their support and encouragement to make sure we all get informed (as Matt states above) but support is one thing and being involved is another. Perhaps this is a reason some may be ‘scared to reveal their identity’ as Matt points out..I do not know. The campaign to raise money is wonderful and I do applaud this – but it beggars the question, why are not the hundreds of deaf organisations in the UK pooling money and resources to support this? THAT is how they should be working, not “speaking” on our behalf.
I guess I now need to don my flack jacket and riot shield for speaking my mind.
Mike
October 9, 2014
Believe it or not Lesley, but we are all after a common cause. You say it’s disgraceful to have a “them and us” and then you inflame the relationship between ‘deaf person’ and ‘interpreter’.
Whether you are the deaf person, the interpreter and/or the agency, we are all after a common cause which is to improve the situation for the community. It’s therefore not a conflict of interest but actually more a balance of emotions. Deaf people are more likely to be more emotional and empassioned about access to work, whereas interpreters can offer a more sensible but equally strong argument to stop the changes.
Ramon Woolfe
October 9, 2014
Indeed – Understanding current affairs allows everyone to participate actively in the world.
It allows individuals to build informed opinions and engage in healthy debates with their peers, friends and family members. It prepares them for their journey in life and exposes them to cultural life.
Not just about deaf people, but general issues in life.
To date there has been very little opportunity for deaf people to access current affairs at a depth.
Mike
October 9, 2014
Completely agree with you Matt, so much great stuff happening by campaigners, but not being heard or seen enough.
And I completely empathise with those organisations that are trying to get the message out there. As an interpreting service for the deaf community, we are passionate about educating the deaf community about various campaigns going on in the field. The problem is there is too much noise out there. On twitter, hundreds of evangelists post statuses, that it’s easy for simplified bits of information about campaigns to be lost. FB has become worse due to their wretched algorithm, and thestopchanges2atw posts can slumped to the bottom of the FB news feed and never be seen.
I think this is blog is the best blog for knowing what is going on out there, and there is a great balance in the subject matters so that all parts of the deaf community are informed. Well done Charlie! But With great power comes great responsibility 🙂
P.S In response to Jay – interpreting services should not just be about money, it should be about value. Ones that provide amazing quality services to customers are worth paying for. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys… never a truer word was said.
Jason Sharpe
October 9, 2014
Yeah I’m agreed with this true.. 🙂
Cathy
October 9, 2014
Great blog Matt! It is a sorry state of affairs that we find ourselves in this situation, but the big organisations should be much more powerful than they actually are, yet they leave the deaf community floundering in the face of fast moving politics! Why???
We cannot expect every single debate to be turned into BSL when, of course, translation cost money, whose paying? I have come across hearies who ask about the cost, but they wont pay for it. As some say, “its not our fault deaf people can’t read”. It isnt anyone’s fault, of course, but translation usually cost somebody something!
This means the written form takes precendence as its free and fast. To this degree strong organisations such as BDN and Action on Hearing Loss should be stepping up to the plate!
When a serious Political Debate is going on these organisations could very easily put it online using interpreters, they have no excuse, unless they are balking at the cost too!
I know interpreters charge far too much and I know they always say if you want a professional you have to pay for it!
I dont buy the “professional excuse” they can still reduce the cost, even marginally. After all it is a job that is meant to be very altruistic, but as far as iv seen over the years altruism has virtually disappeared.
Until we solve inherent problems such as the above we are barely going to make inroads into the world of Politics!!
Lesley
October 9, 2014
Mike….your comment “interpreters can offer a more sensible” sums up everything I have said above …sorry but being an interpreter doesn’t make you any more sensible than deaf people it is a very patronising comment
Suzie
October 9, 2014
I really don’t like having to get into politics – all we want as deaf, deafened, deafblind and HOH people is access to communication so we are able to do a job – I have to agree with Lesley here, it is not a good idea for “hearing people” or Charities run by “Hearing people” – and dare I say it charities run by BSL users for “deaf people” to take the upper hand and talk about us as a whole – we are quite capable of doing it ourselves, BSL or Lipreader or Hands-on BSL or Deafblind manual or CI or Hearing aid – whatever…. It’s not about “more BSL the better” – the majority of deaf people do NOT understand pure BSL.
I think all communication professionals, children of deaf parents, Siblings of deaf people, whatever you want to call yourselves… Business people with wonderful skills in “passing on messages” – I love you all, but at the end of the day deaf people are the ones who are suffering due to not being able to say what we really think,
I too – am waiting for the backlash, oh well.
Anon
October 9, 2014
One look at the name and you are instantly reminded of past instances where other hearing people has taken on issues for the deaf and they were branded as paternalists from within the deaf community yet those same people have not this time – why? One rule for themselves, their friends and another for others.
Some people just attention. On that note, I’m off.
Emma
October 9, 2014
Well done Matt. A good article and an even better video clip. Your points were made very clearly via the clip – this is what deaf people need and are not getting this type of access enough!!
I hope people watch the second half of your clip. More people need to have the confidence to sign clips without the fear of being critised (I know that I’m one of those). This isn’t always due to people thinking ‘oh, my signing is rubbish’…it’s due to thinking ‘oh, there’s going to be one cocky know it all commenting because they’re obviously magnificent’. Shame but true and proved quite often.
Anyway, back to the point of the campaigning info, I hope deaf people get their evidences collected and taken to the review, it’s the most effective way!
Matt Dixon
October 10, 2014
Thanks for the comments, sorry for the delay in responding.
I too do not like to get involved in the political sillyness that these topics can throw at you.
In all fairness I think some people involved in campaigns become so blinded by their own passion and the relentless pressure they feel, that they forget the simple things.
I think its strange how people whoever they may be whether they are deaf, HOH, a communication professional or whatever their ‘label’….. Can campaign about access issues (not just ATW) but yet they are not providing updates, aims or objectives in accessible information on platforms that deaf people use.
I honestly do not think that people involved in Campaigns have to justify why they are involved, they have their reasons. But I feel if they or the campaign are not transparent or they have decided to be anonymous then all that does, is make people suspicious and guarded about supporting such campaigns.
If they are not fully accessible to their audience then that means that some are not afforded the opportunity to get involved and that’s simply not fair.
Anyway have a lovely weekend! Take care!