5/2/23 - 6/3/23

Metropolitan Tabernacle - Elephant & Castle, London visit and cousin visit:

Summary/ Analysis:

Based on the survey I carried out I noticed that the people I spoke to had a re-occurring problem. Each individual had similar problems in relations to communicating with a hearing person… they all find it difficult and a struggle to communicate with someone who does not know sign language. They have this occurrence that not everyone is ‘deaf aware’ and hearing people not being patient or having the time to stop and communicate with a deaf individual through text or writing. Deaf individuals have to rely a lot of gestures and pointing as they can’t speak, they can not express their emotions or what it is they need help with.

In relation to activities:

There was an overlap of making sure hearing people are taught BSL, if not BSL just being taught basic understanding of the deaf community (Deaf awareness). Having accessibility to information quickly as hearing people have updates on the world in an instance whether that is news, technology etc but deaf people have to wait weeks in order to receive the same news because no one tells them early, there s always a delay. Things likes doctors, lawyers are really difficult for the deaf community, something as simple as booking a GP appointment can take up to 2 weeks because there isn’t an interpreter for that individual earlier. Making an appointment is a challenge within itself… same things go for lawyers or having to make payments on the phone someone else who has hearing has to make these calls on their behalf, but they want to be independent!

Having something like job recruitments and sensory services will be valid as well as teaching English.

The space has to be quite visual to draw it attention to signage. The community centre should help gain confidence as well as helping the communication between both hearing and deaf people.