Deaf Awareness Week 2021

Deaf Awareness Week runs from 4 - 9 May. This year has been a particularly difficult year for people with hearing disabilities - imagine trying to lip read when everybody is wearing masks! Campaigners point out that the government in the UK has not used sign language interpreters when making statements about Covid-19 safety measures. And the official announcements have not had subtitles.

Shell Roca from Caritas Westminster Deaf Service writes about a relatively new development that is transforming the lives of some Deaf people: trained Hearing Dogs:

My friend walked up to the sanctuary, bowed her head, walked to the lectern and began to sign "A reading from …." Next to her the whole time was a cocker spaniel dog with a purple jacket. A trained Hearing dog for a Deaf person can make a huge difference to a Deaf person's life. Many people are used to seeing guide dogs for people who are blind or partially sighted, but assistance dogs support a wide variety of people and more and more Deaf adults and children are benefitting from have a Hearing Dog to support them.

Deafness is a hidden disability; people do not look Deaf. For those who use hearing aids to assist them in their daily lives, these are now often so small that they regularly go unnoticed. This leads to Deaf people being treated rudely or being ignored as they simply have not heard what is being said to them. Sr Marika Rebicsek recalls her experience of going to church without her hearing dog "…I did not take Trixie (her hearing dog) with me as I had several bad experiences of her not being accepted in church, so I left her at home. I did not talk or interact with ANYONE between August 2002 and the following March. People may have tried to talk to me but I was not aware of any attempt to communicate with me - deafness is invisible and people may have thought I was standoffish in not replying, never imagining that this person was totally deaf - most people do not consider that it could be that the person cannot hear at all."

The purple jacket of a hearing dog is a very clear symbol to let others know others know that a person is Deaf. Sr Marika continues: "In March 2003, we had our first ever signed Mass in the parish and I thought this would be a good point to bring Trixie as there would be another Hearing Dog at Mass (Bonnie with her owner Judith). For the first time, via communicators, I talked to people in the parish! The following week, I went to Mass, this time with Trixie, and a lady waved to me "Come sit with us, we love dogs!" This was Pamela Dobson and she and her family took me under their wings and they are now my adopted family, Pam's sister Margaret (Meg) being my best friend). Had I not had a Hearing Dog.....? My life would be so different!"

However many people still don't realise that hearing dogs even exist or recognise the colour of the working jacket, so this Deaf Awareness week we thought we would share with you the importance of a hearing dog in a Deaf person's life.

Initially when a puppy, the first 12 months of training is a socialising programme for the dog. This involves meeting people and being exposed to different situations to see if they have the right temperament to become a person's hearing dog. One of the Caritas Westminster team, Elke Springett, Volunteer Co-ordinator used to be a puppy socialiser for Hearing Dogs for Deaf people.

Sr Marika's current hearing dog benefitted from working with a puppy socialiser: "Angus is much more sound aware - more confident having been through the puppy socialisation programme whereas the first two were rescue dogs. His puppy socialisers are now good friends and they are overjoyed at having this contact with their very first charge."

Regulars to the Deaf Community Mass at Westminster and further afield are used to welcoming Dasher and Angus (and their owners, Angela and Sr Marika) to events that Caritas Deaf Service organise, Angus has even become famous on social media by being the "singing hearing dog" as he enjoys Mass so much he joins in with the singing in his very own style! You can find him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2826728767551466

Dasher goes with Angela when she teaches BSL (British Sign Language) and also in her work for NDCS (National Deaf Children's Society) and like Angus is a star in his own right. "When I am teaching BSL to my students, Dasher is sat next to me, alert and checking that I am ok. He also knows when I am out walking to make sure I am safe when walking down hills as keeping my balance walking downhill is a challenge for me. When working with children I always explain to them that Dasher is a working dog and point out the purple jacket." Dasher also loves going to Mass. He enjoys listening to the organ and never barks in church.

So if you bump into a person who has a dog with them with a purple jacket on remember that the person is Deaf and also that the dog is working. To chat to the Deaf person make sure you are face to face with the person when you communicate with them. If you are wearing one, lower your mask so that they can see your face when communicating; lip reading with a mask on is impossible and using sign language while wearing a mask is also very difficult as sign language relies so much on facial expressions and lip patterns as well as the signs you make with your hands. Don't shout at the person, but speak clearly and not too fast. If the person does not understanding you try and re-phrase what you are saying. Some words are much harder to lip read than others. But most of all persevere; don't give up. As one of our Deaf Community commented recently: "Be kind … hearing people don't need to be scared of Deaf people. We Deaf people are humans!"

For more information about Caritas Deaf Service please have a look at our website: www.caritaswestminster.org.uk/deafservice or follow us on social media: www.facebook.com/wddservice or @caritasdeaf on both Instagram and Twitter.

For more information about volunteering opportunities (although unfortunately not as a puppy socialiser) please have a look at www.caritasvs.org.uk

(See more pictures on ICN's Facebook Page)