We provide a wide range of services which Deaf people want and need and we do this in their local community. From supporting children and families, to helping Deaf people find work, to building confidence, we are here to make sure the people who use our services get the help they want, when they need it.
All of our services are delivered in a Deaf person’s first or preferred language which is usually British Sign Language (BSL). Another really important part of what we do is working with mainstream providers to help them ensure their services are accessible to Deaf people.
Did you know the average Deaf child leaves secondary school with a reading age of nine? Can you imagine trying to be able to follow a lesson when the teacher is talking with their back to you while writing on the board?
There are around 41,000 Deaf children in England. Around 85% are taught in mainstream schools and not all schools are able to provide the support they need. Deafness is not a learning disability but sometimes in schools it is treated as if it is one.
Can you imagine a job suddenly being unavailable when a prospective employer finds out you’re Deaf? When it comes to adulthood, the majority of Deaf employees have experienced discrimination during
their career. This has led to one in four Deaf people leaving a job because of a difficult environment.
Discrimination is most likely to come from colleagues and then from management. More than one third of Deaf jobseekers have
faced discrimination as early as the interview stage. We still have a long way to go in raising awareness of what it is to be Deaf in today’s society as well as being able to extend our services so people can access them, no matter where they live.
Thank you for your interest in supporting RAD’s work, we can’t wait to have you on board!