A talk by Merleen Watson Volunteer Speaker

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "A talk by Merleen Watson Volunteer Speaker"

Raymond Parks
5 years ago
Views:

1 A talk by Merleen Watson Volunteer Speaker

2 I m deaf..not daft! My ears don t work too well, but my brain is ok!!

4 Deafness is an invisible disability It is isolating; removes confidence; denies independence. It is often mistaken as bad manners, inattention, confusion, lack of intelligence. Leads to accusations of rudeness, being stuck up or uncaring

5 Communication a two way process.. It is not the sole responsibility of the hard of hearing person It merely takes a little time and effort

6 Include rather than exclude Don t leave a person out, make the effort to include them I ll tell you later will you remember to? It doesn t matter yes it does or you wouldn t have said it It wasn t funny anyway so why is everyone laughing?

7 Hard of hearing people find communication very tiring and often very upsetting: Poor communication irritation further poor communication misunderstanding stress more stress

8 So what can you do? Attract the attention of the person Face them with light on your face Sit if they are sitting, stand if they are standing Turn off background noise Speak with normal phrasing Introduce the topic Don t shout Be careful with your body language and expressions Avoid jokes / comments about hearing loss

9 Hearing loops what and why A wonderful support when they work!!! A hearing loop is a piece of equipment that allows a hearing aid wearer to hear more clearly When a staff member speaks into the microphone, sound is transmitted as a magnetic field which can be picked up by hearing aids when set to the T setting or hearing loop program.

10 Types of loops Portable loop A portable hearing loop provides limited coverage and is designed for one to one conversation for people with hearing aids. Room loop This is designed to provide hearing loop facilities over a much wider area, for example dining rooms, lounges and bedrooms. They can even be fitted to television sets!!

11 Loopy points!! Advertise the loop system to customers and staff Make sure staff know how to use the loop Make sure the loop is fully charged Test the loop regularly when you test the fire alarm Invest in a Loop Tester kit (around 50).

13 A world without sound Deafness can leave you feeling lonely, isolated and anxious. Marly has given me back my independence and much of the loneliness I used to feel has gone. Carol Ann Hatt with Marly

14 Our life-changing work Julian Nuttall with Basil Basil has been an instrumental change in my life and I cannot begin to imagine life without him.

17 The history of Hearing Dogs Gill Lacey and Tony Blunt, founder members of the Charity

1979 Lady Wright and Bruce Fogle inspired by

opens in Lewknor, Oxfordshire 1990 100th dog

patron of the Charity 2010 1,600th dog trained

18 1979 Lady Wright and Bruce Fogle inspired by seminar in United States of America 1982 Hearing Dogs for Deaf People officially launches at Crufts 1986 First training centre opens in Lewknor, Oxfordshire th dog trained 1994 Second training centre The Beatrice Wright Centre opens in Cliffe, Yorkshire 1992 HRH The Princess Royal becomes patron of the Charity ,600th dog trained 2002 Charity headquarters moves to The Grange in Saunderton, Buckinghamshire 2008 The Beatrice Wright Centre moves to Bielby, Yorkshire 2012 Celebrating 30 years of excellence

Poodle, Golden Retriever and some crosses of these breeds Puppies are

19 The journey begins We breed our own puppies or source them from reputable breeders Breeds include English Cocker Spaniel, Labrador, Poodle, Golden Retriever and some crosses of these breeds Puppies are born and live in the homes of our breeding volunteers until around eight weeks old

20 Puppy socialising Nicola Mills, socialiser of Myrtle It s very rewarding knowing that your work ultimately goes towards enhancing lives.

21 Puppy socialising Puppies live in the homes of our vital puppy socialising volunteers for a year Pups are introduced to different sights, sounds and environments These clever pups are also taught basic obedience and attend fortnightly puppy classes

22 Soundwork training When you see a dog you ve trained start to bond with their new recipient, you are glad that they are going to help someone. Tom Hill, hearing dog trainer

23 Sound work training Our trainee dogs begin sound work training around one year old Training takes up to 18 weeks Dogs are taught to respond to sounds such as the doorbell, telephone and smoke alarm, and specific sounds required by their deaf recipient

24 Soundwork training Smaller dogs alert by touching with one or two paws, then leading to the source of the sound Larger breeds nudge with nose before leading to sound To signal danger the hearing dog is taught to lie down after alerting

25 Creating a partnership Before Jasmine I was isolated in a very quiet world. Because of Jasmine I am so much happier and more confident. She is my best friend and loyal partner. Sue Churchyard with Jasmine

26 Creating a partnership Each dog is matched to a suitable recipient to complement their needs and lifestyle Recipients stay on site for one week to start bonding with their dog We support the new partnership in their home and make regular visits throughout its lifetime

30 Funding our partnerships

Worming tablets for a year 20 Dog grooming kit 150 Dog food

31 Selection of toys and treats 10 It costs 45,000 for the breeding, training and life-long care of each hearing dog Worming tablets for a year 20 Dog grooming kit 150 Dog food for a year 350 A hearing dog s burgundy uniform 30 Puppy starter pack 80

33 Funding our partnerships We raise money through: Donations Gifts in wills Puppy Sponsorship Events Corporate support Merchandise

34 And finally..

35 Any questions?

Yes! CUSTOMER SERVICE CUSTOMER SERVICE. Why bother? Who are our Internal Customers? Do We Have CUSTOMERS? at AEOA. AEOA s mission

Yes! CUSTOMER SERVICE CUSTOMER SERVICE. Why bother? Who are our Internal Customers? Do We Have CUSTOMERS? at AEOA. AEOA s mission CUSTOMER SERVICE at AEOA Why? Who? What? How? When? Why? Why? CUSTOMER SERVICE AEOA s mission AEOA strengthens communities by providing opportunities to people experiencing social and economic challenges.