This is the first conversation focusing on Guidance and the value we as a community can offer Deaf people. It will take a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focus – exploring Deaf culture, experience of guidance, learning and work and most importantly set out the role of communication (ISL ACT 2017) in Guidance relationships. There is a lot of added learning as this webinar will take the position that the Deaf community are a minority bilingual community, strong communicators, and relationship managers. As this is a starting point - the webinar will consider guidance and its engagement - whether the Deaf person is school going, an FET student or an adult learner. Or indeed a parent or significant other for a Deaf person.
The webinar will take time to:
- Appreciate the different approaches to language and communication – which will be of benefit to guidance engagement for both Deaf people and Guidance counsellors
- Share a unique view of communication and Deaf awareness in a guidance context (cultural, societal, and learning)
- Explore challenges that exist for Deaf people in relation to guidance and career planning.
Deaf people will play a central role in this webinar as it aims to remove barriers and ensure equality and inclusion across guidance. It is part of an innovative project funded by POBAL and the aim is to develop a toolkit together (taking a UDL approach) that will be of benefit to Guidance Counsellors, now and into the future. The content will include setting out the background and introducing the project and work of the Irish Deaf Society (IDS), establish the IDS (the project, together with Peer Mentors) as a resource for Guidance Counsellors, introduce Deaf awareness, new terminology, and an appreciation of Irish Sign Language (ISL). Speakers will be from both the Guidance world and the Deaf community, role models and valuable contributors alike.
Access the webinar recording and accompanying presentation HERE.