Welcome to our new project

“Deaf Culture, Heritage and Diversity”!

Our goal is to bring Deaf Studies closer to deaf youths and youth workers, enabling them to better understand and appreciate deaf culture, heritage, and diversity.

We aim to empower deaf youth workers with skills and knowledge about Deaf Studies, enriching the knowledge of deaf youths.

Background

Deaf Studies is a field that covers the unique aspects of deaf culture, heritage, diversity, and sign language. Currently, Deaf Studies is mostly taught at colleges and universities (academic level), leaving those who do not pursue a career as interpreters or sign language teachers with little to no knowledge about Deaf Studies.

Too often, deaf youths learn aspects of Deaf Culture from their interpreters in mainstream (secondary or vocational) education.

It’s important for deaf youths to understand their own culture and heritage. Being aware of these aspects means that deaf youths can take pride in their identity and language, actively participating in society. And who is closer to these deaf youths than youth workers? Youth clubs, associations, and other institutions currently lack, or have no, materials to convey Deaf Studies to deaf youths.

Project goal

“Deaf Culture, Heritage and Diversity” (referred to as Deaf Studies in Europe for simplicity) aims to make deaf youths aware of the rich aspects of their culture, community, and history.

Where this knowledge has so far been confined to academics, interpreters, and sign language teachers, we intend to bridge the gap to deaf youths. This bridge will be built by developing and encouraging deaf youth workers in Deaf Studies, who can in turn pass on their knowledge to deaf youths.

Expected outcomes

What can you expect from our bridge?

We’re developing an extensive package of workshops on Deaf Studies, organizing trial trainings for deaf youth workers, creating engaging videos, and ensuring wide dissemination of the subject and the project.

By developing tailored workshops for youth workers, creating educational materials, and organizing trial trainings, we aim to enrich deaf youths aged 16 to 25 with knowledge and understanding of Deaf Studies.
Recognizing the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing, we are building a network of deaf youth workers in Deaf Studies. This network will facilitate innovation, ultimately leading to improved quality of youth work.
Our primary target group is dedicated youth workers aged 18 and older, who play a significant role in the lives of deaf youths. By enhancing their skills, we ensure better support for deaf youths.
To improve the competencies of our youth workers, we organize trainings. These trainings will not only equip them with practical skills but also deepen their appreciation for deaf culture, enabling them to create more inclusive workshops for deaf youths.