Someone emailed me a couple of days ago, quite upset. She has just started at a large company and they had already arranged a Deaf Awareness session for her colleagues a week after she has started. She says “It was awful.   H.R. did not consult with me and my colleagues felt patronised and are now quite cross with me for wasting their time. If only HR had asked what I thought was needed and whom I might recommend then I would have had some editorial control over the whole process. As it is I now have to be emollient and soothe everyone as we work in an industry with fast and tight deadlines and people just don’t have time to spare for an all day training session which is not directly relevant”.

So guys, how about just thinking what exactly you are offering (if you are a Deaf Awareness trainer – preferably deaf yourself) and exactly what you are asking for (if you are booking a Deaf Awareness session). The one thing we DON’T need are more annoyed hearing colleagues!

Someone emailed me a couple of days ago, quite upset. She has just started at a large company and they had already arranged a Deaf Awareness session for her colleagues a week after she has started. She says “It was awful.   H.R. did not consult with me and my colleagues felt patronised and are now quite cross with me for wasting their time. If only HR had asked what I thought was needed and whom I might recommend then I would have had some editorial control over the whole process. As it is I now have to be emollient and soothe everyone as we work in an industry with fast and tight deadlines and people just don’t have time to spare for an all day training session which is not directly relevant”.

So guys, how about just thinking what exactly you are offering (if you are a Deaf Awareness trainer – preferably deaf yourself) and exactly what you are asking for (if you are booking a Deaf Awareness session). The one thing we DON’T need are more annoyed hearing colleagues!

Went to Tate Modern tonight for a BSL talk. 100 deaf / hearing people were there – what a fantastic turn out. Yet often organisations (including social services and others) can’t even get 5 people to attend a specially arranged event, never mind 100. So what is it that makes the difference?  Sheer determination, bloodymindedness and commitment on the part of the project leader goes a long way. Attitude counts for a lot – I always look for a genuine and warm attitude and no amount of Deaf Awareness workshops or BSL courses can manufacture that (courses are great if the positive attitude is there to begin with). Why don’t people realise that fakes can be spotted a mile off? We know whether organisers genuinely like D/deaf people or not – don’t flannel us! Well done, Tate Modern!

Went to Tate Modern tonight for a BSL talk. 100 deaf / hearing people were there – what a fantastic turn out.

Yet often organisations (including social services and others) can’t even get 5 people to attend a specially arranged event, never mind 100. So what is it that makes the difference?  Sheer determination, bloodymindedness and commitment on the part of the project leader goes a long way.

Attitude counts for a lot – I always look for a genuine and warm attitude and no amount of Deaf Awareness workshops or BSL courses can manufacture that (courses are great if the positive attitude is there to begin with). Why don’t people realise that fakes can be spotted a mile off? We know whether organisers genuinely like D/deaf people or not – don’t flannel us! Well done, Tate Modern!