deaf chef update

In a previous post I asked for some comments about the difficulty a deaf friend is having finding a job.

Your honest comments were appreciated. In particular, thanks to Big Dog Talking for the suggestion of an FAQ sheet. E did prepare one and included the fact that she bakes a mean chocolate cake.

She has now completed 179 applications – with no success – but I have to admire her stick-with-it-ness.

For those who are curious, I’ve some more info about how deaf people can cope in a “speaking” workplace.

With respect to lip-reading, E would add that deaf people have an above average ability to read body language. This makes sense to me.

Assistance available includes:

• Interpreters when required – e.g. for initial training or further training / workshops down the track;
• Wage subsidies;

·         Workplace modifications and adaptive equipment (e.g. flashing alarms, alert pagers, and changes to the physical environment)

·         Assistance with setting up TTY systems* so deaf workers can take/ handle phone calls

·         Advice and question/answer sessions for fellow workers if they would like to know more about working with deaf people

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*Telephone typewriters, also known as TTY, are a telephone for people who are deaf or hearing impaired. It consists of a keyboard and display screen, and is sometimes called a teletypewriter or textphone. TTY allows users to type a message into the machine, which is then turned into electrical signals that can travel over ordinary telephone lines. When the signals reach their destination they are converted back into letters which, depending on the TTY model, then appear on a display screen, are printed out on paper, or both.

If the other telephone does not have a TTY facility, the National Relay Service (NRS) can be used to conduct text to voice calls.

The National Relay Service also offers free TTY training to individuals, groups and businesses upon request.