This year’s theme is ‘building inclusive communities for all’. As well as deaf people feeling connected to their deaf community, they should also feel connected to wider society and those without a hearing impairment. If people come together to show awareness for deaf people within communities, it can help to connect them to others better. People can become more educated on how to communicate with deaf people, contributing to positive change and breaking down stereotypical barriers.

Meet Amy our Communications Assistant, she shares her incredible story of being profoundly deaf and talks about how each deaf person’s needs are different and how we can be more deaf aware.

“Hi, I’m Amy. I am profoundly deaf and wear a cochlear implant. Having a cochlear implant has opened the world around me and enabled me to hear, which is amazing and has pushed me to be where I am today. It has also taught me that I can do anything and that nothing is stopping me. How I think and act is mainly due to my parent’s amazing support, my positive education and employment experience, and the right people around me.

“Regardless of my positive experiences, being deaf does have its challenges. But if the right people surround you, they can make it much easier to get around in society.

“If you ever come across a person who is deaf, bear in mind that every deaf person is different. I rely one hundred percent on lipreading, so I need to see your lips clearly. Others may rely completely on sign language, others may rely on both, or even writing down what you’re saying helps too. It varies. But most importantly, be patient. I am so lucky that I’m in a position where everybody around me is so accepting – especially my workplace.”

As a trust, it is important to highlight inclusivity and accessibility in our workplace. In addition, we want to demonstrate that anything is possible, don’t stop and don’t give up.

Thanks Amy for sharing your story with us.