Apologise if I’m vague on the details – the organisations involved took steps to rectify the situation so there’s no need to point out their names.
A while ago, I took part in a training exercise to test a set of procedures. There were many volunteers from charitable organisations – many of them playing different roles.
I was tasked to come in as myself, but only able to communicate in BSL (even though I don’t sign, I just play the part). The idea was that one of the charity volunteers, representing their charity would come along and try and communicate with me and explain what is going on. A few did manage to do some very basic signing to ask if I am ok, and a few resorted to writing notes, indicating a charity interpreter will be coming along as soon as she could (1 hour).
While waiting, and left to my own devices, another charity volunteer, playing a support volunteer, an old man of about 70 years of age, if not more, approached me. He asked (verbally) if I was ok, I said yes, but nobody is telling me anything and I have nothing to do. Now, I must point out that I was a 25 year old blokey bloke with a stubble at the time.
He took me over to the children’s play area, and gave me a Barbie doll and gestured me to sit on the play mat with the kids and he walked away, absolving any responsibilities in the matter.
Rather than being speechless, I laughed at the sheer idiocy of the whole situation. Rest assured that the relevant charity boss has been made aware embarrassed about the situation and will look into deaf awareness training.
The scary thing was, the guy thought he was doing the right thing and saw no problems with it. Now, is it any wonder why deaf people have a harder time getting a job than criminals who’ve done a stint at Her Majesty’s pleasure?
Comments
that’s appalling. but doesn’t surprise me too much.
That is wrong.. they should provide action man!!
Joking asside.. it does not suprise me…
But as you know me… would I sit there and say nothing.. id be ranting and raving but at least you have made them aware…
I would have asked your 70 be amazed that he is able to go to tolet and not dribble on his food and why is he not wearing incontinence pads
That is awful! It still goes to show how lacking in Deaf Awareness people are, and how slow the process is of changing things. Even one of my best friends still can’t grasp some of what seems to me such obvious things to do. For example: She said, “Well, how would a deaf person ask for something in a post office? I couldn’t believe my “sensible” friend asked such a question. I replied, “For starters, pointing, writing it down.” She looked at me with a blank look on her face as if I had said something really extraordinary. It seems my job to educate the D/deaf are not an alien race still goes on sadly.
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