Presentation Transcript

1. A guide to recruiting andsupporting volunteers withhearing loss Valuing volunteers with hearing loss
2. Inside this guide One in six people in the UK has a hearing loss - that’s a large pool of potential volunteers. Yet, without meaning to, many organisations presentbarriers that prevent people with hearing loss from volunteering.Action on Hearing Loss wants to change this. We have produced this guide to: • raise your awareness of the things that may prevent people with hearing loss fromvolunteering with your organisation • help you to remove any communication barriers and increase deaf awareness withinyour organisation, to make it more accessibleand welcoming for volunteers with hearing loss. You will find this guide useful if you: • are unsure how to recruit and support volunteers with hearing loss • need more information on communicating, and working, with people who have hearing loss • would like to increase the diversity of your organisation (see below right). We use the term ‘people with hearing loss’throughout to refer to people with all levelsof hearing loss (see page 5), including thosewho are profoundly deaf. We can support you to recruitvolunteers with hearing loss by: • meeting with you to discuss your work and how you might better support volunteerswith hearing loss For contact details of Action on Hearing Lossand other relevant organisations, see page 14. • helping you to access training for you, your staff and volunteers Increase the diversity of your volunteers • giving extra support to volunteers with hearing loss, and those who work with Many of the communication tips we providein this guide can help you to recruit and retain volunteers from a range of religious,cultural and/or ethnic backgrounds, people with hearing loss in the community • helping you to book communication support different lifestyles, and those who may havemedical illnesses or disabilities. for your volunteers, where necessary • providing ongoing support and advice. Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 2
3. Contents Frequently asked questions 4 Understanding different levels of hearing loss 5 Improving communication 6 Recruiting volunteers 7 Welcoming volunteers 8 Interviewing volunteers 9 Preparing volunteer information packs and guidelines 10 Planning a volunteer training day 11 Supporting volunteers in the workplace 12 Booking and using communication support 13 Useful contacts and resources 14 Questionnaire 15 Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 3
4. Frequently asked questions People with hearing loss represent a talented and skilled pool of potential volunteers. What’s stopping you from recruiting from this untapped source? How will we communicate with ourvolunteers who have hearing loss? We’ve never had volunteers with hearingloss approach us before. Are you sure theyare out there? Most people with hearing loss use speech -some may lipread. See page 6 for our tipsfor improving your communication skills. Since one in six of the population has ahearing loss, you have probably worked witha volunteer with a hearing loss before withoutknowing it. People do not always reveal theirhearing loss. Around 50,000 people in the UK use BritishSign Language (BSL). For volunteers whouse BSL, you will need an interpreter to communicate effectively at meetings andtraining days. Other volunteers may needother forms of communication support. Seepage 13 for more information. What might prevent people with hearingloss volunteering with us? Many things, including poor communication,not using plain English (see page 10) and alack of flexibility in volunteer roles. If someone doesn’t reveal their hearing loss,how will I know that they have one? Other barriers include a lack of equipmentto support people with hearing loss, such as: The chances are, you won’t be able to tell thata person has a hearing loss, unless they wearhearing aids or use BSL. That’s why you shouldmake sure that you always communicate clearly.If anyone asks you to repeat something, or • textphones - people who have severe or profound hearing loss may use a textphone instead of a voice telephone. • hearing loop systems - these help people who wear hearing aids with an activated does not understand you the first time, bearthis in mind and be patient and clear. ‘loop’ setting to hear more clearly overbackground noise. What happens if a problem arises afterI recruit a volunteer with hearing loss? These barriers often occur unintentionally,due to organisations not fully understandingdifferent types of hearing loss and how theyaffect people - that is, they are not deaf The Action on Hearing Loss VolunteerDevelopment Team and your local VolunteerCentre can help you resolve any problems.For details of your nearest Volunteer Centre,contact Volunteering England. See page 14for details. aware (see page 5). We can provide you withtraining, support and equipment to help yourorganisation become deaf aware. Contact ourInformation Line for details (see page 14). We want to recruit volunteers with hearingloss. What do we do next? Will we have to make a lot of changes to bringin volunteers who are deaf and hard of hearing? Get in touch! We can help you to recruitvolunteers and will support you through theprocess. We may even be able to advertiseyour opportunity through our communicationsand services. No. Volunteers with hearing loss can carry outthe roles you already recruit for. You just needto make the role accessible - for example, byproviding communication support if necessary. Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 4
5. Understanding different levels of hearing loss Being aware of the different levels of hearing loss, and how they can affect communication, will help you to better supportvolunteers with hearing loss. Hearing loss can be categorised as: Mild: people with mild hearing loss will havesome difficulty following speech, especially innoisy environments. Some wear hearing aidsand find lipreading useful. They will nearlyalways use speech to communicate. Moderate:people with moderate hearing losswill find it difficult to follow speech, especiallyin noisy environments. They will probablylipread and/or wear hearing aids. Most can usea voice telephone if it has adjustable volume oris designed to work with hearing aids. Severe: people with severe hearing loss mayhave difficulty following speech, even withhearing aids. Many will lipread or use BSL.They may use sign language interpreters,speech-to-text reporters or lipspeakers (seepage 13). Most find it hard to use a voicetelephone, even if it is amplified, and mayuse a textphone instead. Profound: people with a profound hearing lossmay get little or no benefit from hearing aids.If they have been deaf since birth or childhood,they may use BSL or lipread. They probablycannot use a voice telephone and prefer atextphone instead. People who are deafblind have a combinedhearing and sight loss. This means they mayhave difficulty with communication, accessto information and mobility. About 23,000people in the UK are deafblind. How we can help: We can book you and your staff onto an Action on Hearing Loss ‘DeafAwareness Training Session’ to increase your understanding of hearing loss. Contact ourInformation Line for details (see page 14). Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 5
6. Improving communication With a little practice, everyone can learn to communicate more effectively.The two most important points to bear in mind are that your voice needsto be clearly heard and your lips must be clearly seen. You also need to: Remember, lipreading is difficult Sounds such as ‘B’, ‘P’ and ‘M’, or ‘Ch’,‘Sh’ and ‘J’ are very hard to see on the lips(try with a friend or watch yourself in themirror). Lipreading requires a great deal ofconcentration so can be quite tiring.Someone who is relying on lipreading inan interview, or training session, will needmore breaks because of this. Speak... • clearly •at a steady pace, not too slowly • at your normal volume. Keep your lips... • visible - never turn your face away, or chew sweets, pens or fingers while talking You can find more lipreading tips in ourleaflet Watch this Face. To order, contactour Information Line (see page 14) or visit • in the light (remember that standing in front of a window throws your faceinto shadow). www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/shop Keep your lipreader... • on the same level as you • about 3ft-6ft away • aware when you are about to speak (get their attention first). Keep the room... • free of background noise (voices, hums, or passing traffic) • free of distractions (patterned backgrounds, mirrors or moving people). How we can help: We can provide a short training session for you and your staff on howto communicate with people with hearing loss. Contact our Information Line for details (seepage 14). Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 6
7. Recruiting volunteers There are six simple steps you can take to make sure that youradvertisements are inclusive to people with hearing loss. 1 Use plain English (see page 10).Remember, English is a second languagefor people who have grown up using BSL. 3 Make your wording inclusive, not exclusive.‘Good telephone manner’ could discourage a person with a hearing loss from applying forthe role, and it might not be necessary. 2 Give a fax, textphone number or emailaddress, not just a telephone number. 4 Include an equal opportunities statement.For example: ‘We strongly encourage If you don’t have a textphone, you can stilloffer a textphone number by using the TextRelay telephone prefix (18001) in front ofyour telephone number. applications from black and minority ethnicpeople, deaf and disabled people, and allmembers of the wider community.’ This shows textphone users that you welcomecalls through Text Relay, which is the nationalservice connecting telephone users with 5 Send posters and flyers to your local deafor hard of hearing clubs. Contact our Information Line for details(see page 14). textphone users. A person called a Relay Assistant will join thecall to relay text-to-voice and voice-to-textin the conversation. Find out how Text Relayworks first by visiting www.textrelay.org.uk 6 Advertise in national or local publicationsaimed at people with hearing loss. Contact our Information Line for details. Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 7
8. Welcoming volunteers A warm welcome into your project is an important way of makingsure that, once you have recruited your volunteers, you keep them. Naturally, all volunteers will feel much morewelcomed and encouraged if you: Sometimes they pretend they haven’t seen theperson and ignore them, hoping someone elsewill take over. • smile At other times, people are rude because theyget fed up with repeating what they are sayingand become impatient. • are polite • speak clearly • show a pleasant sense of humour People do not usually do these things becausethey mean to be unwelcoming - it is mostly dueto a lack of deaf awareness, and comes from • have plenty of time for them • are friendly. feeling uncomfortable. First impressions The tips in this guide will help you to becomemore deaf aware and welcoming to all of If volunteers do not feel welcome, they areunlikely to stay. So, for example, people will your volunteers. not feel encouraged to volunteer for you if you: • do not smile • look uncomfortable talking • spend as little time as possible with them • seem unfriendly • are impatient • avoid talking to them. Look at the two lists above again. Imagine avolunteer who is deaf approaches a volunteerco-ordinator who had never met a person who is deaf before. Suppose that volunteerco-ordinator immediately began to worry aboutwhat to do. Which of those lists is likely to bestdescribe their behaviour? Sometimes people panic when they realisethe person in front of them has a hearing loss.Because they panic, they forget to be friendlyand smile. Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 8
9. Interviewing volunteers A little preparation will make sure that you and yourpotential volunteers get the most out of an interview. • When the volunteer arrives, ask if the room is arranged appropriately for them. Before the interview • When you invite a volunteer to an interview, or to meet you for the first time, always ask During the interview if they have any accessibility needs, suchas communication support. Rememberthat demand for communication support • Speak clearly and naturally, and give the volunteer time to get used to your lipshapes. • Find out about your volunteer, what their skills professionals is extremely high, so you willneed to book early (see page 13). and interests are, and how they can help you,as you would with any other volunteer. Focuson the person’s abilities, not on their hearingloss. Never assume what a volunteer is or isnot able to do. • A person with a hearing loss might ask if you have a hearing loop system. We can help supply loop systems or put you in touchwith local services that can do this for you. • Once you have decided which role suits your volunteer, think about practicalities. Ask them Contact our Information Line for details (seepage 14). what they need to make the role accessiblefor them. On the day • Make sure the room is well lit to make lipreading possible and that your hearing • Be prepared to be flexible and honest. If you are worried that you cannot fully meet loop, if you have one, is switched on. Set upthe room so that the volunteer will not befacing a window, as this will put the personthey are lipreading in shadow. their needs, ask the Action on Hearing LossVolunteer Development Team (see page 14)for advice, or see if you can reach a goodcompromise. Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 9
10. Preparing volunteer informationpacks and guidelines The best way to make sure that your information is accessible toall is by writing in plain English. The Plain English Campaign defines plainEnglish as ‘something the intended audiencecan read, understand and act upon the firsttime they read it’. • consider passing on the most important information face-to-face instead. For more information, see our free factsheet Producing information for people with hearingloss. You can order it from our Information If recruited volunteers are not fully able toread your written information, they may: Line (see page 14) or download it from www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/deafawareness • not fully understand the project, its value or their role in it Quick plain English checklist • be unaware of health and safety guidelines • become confused with the project and not c Do you use straightforward, everyday English? be able to carry out all the tasks you expectof them. c Have you used ‘we’, ‘you’ and ‘my’? To avoid these problems, and to make sureyou always get your message across, thinkcarefully about the language you use, andhow you design your posters, informationsheets and guidelines. c Have you used ‘active’ rather than ‘passive’ sentences? c Could you cut any text to make your document more concise? Be clear c Is your average sentence 15-20 words long? When producing written informationfor volunteers: c Is complex information in bulleted lists? • keep sentences and paragraphs short c Can you use pictures/symbols to increase clarity? • always substitute long words for short words where possible. For example, say ‘use’, not‘utilise’, and ‘buy’, not ‘purchase’ Have you used a clear format? • avoid jargon c Is there a good contrast between the text and background? • break up the writing with headings and bullet points c Is there plenty of white space around paragraphs? Is the text all justified left? • think about using clear diagrams to replace long, written descriptions • use photographs to illustrate your points - these can be especially effective if they use c Have you included sub-headings to break up the text? real people and not models Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 10
11. Planning a volunteer training day If you have a training day for volunteers, be aware of anyone in your audiencewho may have a hearing loss. Use the following tips to make sure youraudience can understand you. Before the day • Ask your audience before the day of trainingif they need any communication support andwhich type they require. • Plan plenty of breaks in your agenda. It is hard work for someone to lipread for long stretches of time. Also, sign languageinterpreters and other communicationsupport staff will need breaks every30-40 minutes. • Prepare handouts and overheads, written inplain English, to back up your key messagesand send these out in advance. It can be hard for people with hearing loss to pick up all themessages delivered during training. The training room Set up the training room carefully. If anyone • Use clear speech at all times. Try not to walk around too much, as this makes it more in your audience is lipreading, they will need: • good lighting - make sure that the main difficult to lipread. speakers are not standing in front of windows • Remember that, while people with hearing loss are reading your handouts and • a clear view of the speakers’ faces - reserve some chairs at the front overheads, they cannot lipread or watchan interpreter. Give people time to read theoverhead or handout, and to look at youbefore you start talking again. • minimal background noise • a working hearing loop system, if you have one. • If you receive a question from the floor during the day, repeat it back to the audience before Clear communication replying. Some people may not have heardthe question (including hearing people). Thisalso gives you time to compose your reply! • Begin your session by making sure people with hearing loss can hear you or see the sign language interpreter, lipspeaker or speech-to-text reporter. Check at regular intervals. • Finally, don’t be embarrassed if someone says they can’t hear you. Be glad they feltcomfortable enough to say so. As long asyou keep calm, and keep trying, you willget there in the end. • Remind everyone to speak clearly, and one at a time, giving everyone a chance to join in.Remember that an interpreter cannot interpret two voices at once! Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 11
12. Supporting volunteersin the workplace These simple steps will help volunteers with hearing loss quicklysettle into your organisation Make sure that: • Do your other volunteers need to learn about hearing loss? If so, talk to the Action • your volunteers have fully understood all information provided during training on Hearing Loss Volunteer DevelopmentTeam about this (see page 14). • communication professionals are present at any important induction or training sessionsfor those volunteers who need them. Actionon Hearing Loss Communication Services (seepage 14) can help set this up • you provide a written programme, in plain English, of what will happen in the first few volunteering sessions • you stagger information/training, if you can, so that your volunteer is not bombarded with too much information • you check after the first day/week/month that everything is going well • you think about providing a volunteer ‘buddy’, or appointing a key member of staff with whom the volunteer can raise any questions • your volunteer knows who they can ask for help if they are having any problems. Consider your volunteer’swork environment • Check that emergency procedures are written in plain English (see page 10). • Is there good lighting so that they can lipread easily? • Make sure your Fire Officer is aware of any volunteers who have a hearing loss, so theycan put appropriate evacuation proceduresin place. Specialist equipment can help (suchas vibrating fire alarm pagers). Contact ourInformation Line for more information (seepage 14). • Will they be able to see the rest of the room, and people coming and going? You can help your volunteer to become part of the teammore quickly by asking them to sit somewherecentral facing other people. How we can help: The Action on Hearing Loss Volunteer Development Team provides you with ongoing advice and support. See page 14 for contact details. Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 12
13. Booking and using communication support People with hearing loss have a range of different communication methods depending on their hearing loss and personal preference. A communication professional (CP) can make communication far easierfor important interviews or meetings. If you need to use a CP, contact Action onHearing Loss Communication Services (seepage 14). Things to remember when using CPs • Always speak directly to the person with hearing loss, not to the CP. Action on Hearing Loss CommunicationServices can provide: • Make sure that only one person speaks at a time, otherwise it is impossible for the CP to interpret. • sign language interpreters, who are trained to interpret between spoken English and BSL. • The CP is always neutral. They are not allowed to give advice or offer opinions. • lipspeakers, who repeat what is being said without using their voice. Lipspeakers aretrained to have clear lipshapes, and use facialexpression and natural gestures to clarifythe message. They also use appropriatefingerspelling, if needed. • CPs work within a strict professional code of practice. Everything that is discussed will be kept confidential. • The CP will communicate everything that is said or signed. This includes audible asides. • electronic notetakers, who type the spoken message into a special computer, allowing • CPs need preparation time and background materials if they are to do a good job. the person with hearing loss to read it froma screen. • There is usually a slight delay in the interpreting process. • CPs need to have short breaks every 30-40 minutes. Sign language interpreter Lipspeaker Speech-to-text reporter Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 13
14. Useful contacts and resources Action on Hearing Loss is working for a world where hearing lossdoesn’t limit or label people, where tinnitus is silenced - and wherepeople value and look after their hearing. Action on Hearing Loss Action on Hearing Loss Products Volunteering Development Team We sell a wide range of products for peoplewith hearing loss and/or tinnitus. Visit ouronline shop or request a copy of our For any queries relating to volunteeringfor Action on Hearing Loss, contact: products catalogue. Action on Hearing Loss Action on Hearing Loss Products, Volunteering Development Team,Towerpoint, 44 North Road, 4th Floor,Room 409, Brighton BN1 1YR 1 Haddonbrook Business Centre,Fallodan Road, Orton Southgate,Peterborough PE2 6YX From 16 July 2013 our address will be: Telephone 01733 361199 Action on Hearing Loss Textphone 01733 238020 Volunteering Development TeamRoom 106a, Community Base Fax 01733 361161 solutions@hearingloss.org.uk 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XGTelephone 01273 669468 www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/shop Textphone 18001 01273 669468 Text Relay helpline volunteering@hearingloss.org.uk The BT-funded service through which calls canbe made between textphone and voice phoneusers, in either direction. Action on Hearing Loss Information Line Our Information Line offers a wide range ofinformation on hearing loss and tinnitus. Telephone 0870 7311 888 Textphone 18001 0800 500 888 Action on Hearing Loss Information Line,19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SLTelephone 0808 808 0123 helpline@textrelay.org Plain English Campaign Provides advice and information on plain English.PO Box 3, New Mills, High Peak SK22 4QP Textphone 0808 808 9000 Fax 020 7296 8199 SMS 0780 000 0360 Telephone 01663 744409 informationline@hearingloss.org.uk Fax 01663 747038 info@plainenglish.co.uk Action on Hearing LossCommunication Services www.plainenglish.co.uk To book sign language interpreters andother communication professionals, contact:Action on Hearing Loss Volunteering England Provides support and volunteering resources.Society Building, 8 All Saints Street, Communication Services, The Plaza,100 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9QJTelephone 0845 685 8000 London N1 9RL www.volunteering.org.uk Textphone 0845 685 8001 Fax 0845 685 8002 SMS 07624 818778 communication.services@hearingloss.org.uk www.actiononhearingloss/communication Valuing volunteers with hearing loss 14
15. Questionnaire We want to make sure this pack is accessible, and contains all the informationyou need. We will be updating it regularly. Please return your feedback to the address below. Name OrganisationYour role Very Quite Not at all Did you find this pack clear and easy to read? Did you find the following sections useful: Frequently asked questions Understanding different levels of hearing lossImproving communication Recruiting volunteersWelcoming volunteersInterviewing volunteers Preparing volunteer information packs and guidelinesPlanning a volunteer training day Supporting volunteers in the workplace Booking and using communication support Do you currently have any volunteers who have a hearing loss? Yes / No If yes, do you think this pack will help you support them? Yes / No If not, do you hope to recruit some after reading this pack? Yes / No Is there any further information you would have found helpful? Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. Your feedback is valuable to us. Please return to: Action on Hearing Loss Volunteering Team, Towerpoint, 44 North Road, 4th Floor, Room 409, Brighton BN1 1YR or from 16 July 2013 to: Action on Hearing Loss Volunteering Team, Room 106a, CommunityBase, 113 Queen’s Road, Brighton BN1 3XG
16. We’re the charity taking action on hearing loss since 1911. We can’t do thiswithout your help. To find out more about what we doand how you can support us go towww.actiononhearingloss.org.uk Telephone 0808 808 0123 Textphone 0808 808 9000 Email helpline@hearingloss.org.uk Action on Hearing Loss is the trading name of The Royal National Institute for Deaf People. A registered charity in England and Wales (207720) and Scotland (SC038926). A0585/0513