Community Centre for Information and Counselling

INFO-CLUB SENZOR

 

 

 

For many deaf, sign language is the only accessible mean of communication, but most hearing people are not familiar with this visual language. Those deaf who cannot understand lips reading communicate almost exclusively among themselves. In the absence of the services of an interpreter, they have to restrict their communicational relationships to persons who are familiar with the sign language. There is therefore a strong need for professional interpreters of the sign language to serve in public offices and at agencies which offer services to the population (at mayor's office, at the lawyer, at the doctor, in shops etc.). Although this necessity is officially recognised by the Romanian Government and included in the legislation, in practice very little has been done to train and appoint such interpreters. 

 

Deaf young people find themselves at the edge of society not just as the result of their exclusion from access to information, but also in relation to other essential aspects of their life: education, employment, social safety and access to culture. The lack of access to important sources of information is only aggravating their situation. Social exclusion of deaf has strong roots in the mentalities at individual, group, community and societal levels, which are generating various forms of overt and covert, formal and informal discrimination. Most hearing people are not familiar with the right methods of communication with a deaf person. The lack of special concerns and consideration for the particular needs of people with hearing disabilities is likely to amplify their perception of being regarded as second class citizens.

 

The task to ensure significant change in the cultural-informational context in which hearing disabled young people live, requires therefore urgent affirmative action at local community level. After considering several options, we reached the conclusion that the easiest and most cost-effective measure in this regard would be the setting up of a special Community Centre for Information and Counselling designed for the needs of young persons with hearing disability. The overall objective of the Centre is to provide communicational barrier-free access to information and counselling for the hearing-impaired young people, in order to improve the quality of their life and promote their social inclusion. In view of this general objective, the Centre aims to achieve the following main specific goals:

 

1. to raise the informational standards  of deaf young people and ensure the possibility to exercise their right to be informed, by providing sign language translation of public information and opportunities of sign language interpreter-mediated communication with authorities, public institutions and social service providers.

 

2. to improve the professional, educational, family and community integration of deaf youth by offering accessible occupational and psychological counselling, and by assisting them to find a job

 

3. to develop the communicational abilities of young deaf by organizing computer- and Internet training courses, and groups of linguistic self-development   (in order to improve both their sign language and oral communication skills). 

 

4. to strengthen community ties and improve the quality of community life among deaf young people, by setting up a special web page, by editing a journal and by organizing cultural events, all designed according to the special needs of hearing impaired.

 

In this Centre hearing disabled shall have the opportunity to:

·        acquire basic computer and Internet knowledge

·        access information from the Internet

·        consult the special web pages designed for their needs and contribute to it

·        access the available books and magazines

·        receive personal counselling in professional, educational and psychological matters

·        attend lectures and have discussions on themes of special interest for them

·        practice oral language in parallel with sign language

·        find a friendly community

·        participate in cultural programs designed in accordance with their special needs

 

 

The services of the Centre include access to a database and special library, Internet-access, counselling in professional, educational and personal matters, assistance in contacting authorities, other public institutions and potential employers. Within the framework of the Information Centre, the deaf young people will be offered training in computer and Internet skills, including web page creation. These training courses will be translated into the sign language. In order to make easier for beneficiaries the selection and accessing of the information essential to them a special web page will be created, to be designed in such a way as to be accessible to deaf people. In the same time, within the Centre will function  groups of linguistic self-development in order to provide help, motivate and stimulate young deaf wishing to improve their sign language communicational abilities, as well as their oral expression, writing and reading skills.

 

For the first year of activity the following main results (expressed with the help of estimated quantified indicators) are expected:

 

1.      Accessible information, counselling and communication with public institutions to be made available for an estimated number of around 500 beneficiaries;

2.       Job opportunities to be identified for an estimated number of 60 beneficiaries.

3.   Computer and Internet literacy to be achieved by 35-50 beneficiaries, improvement of sign-language and oral linguistic skills to be achieved by 40-45 beneficiaries

 

In order to implement this project, the Senzor Foundation established a partnership with the Caritas Association of Satu Mare. The partnership contract stipulates that Senzor Foundation shall receive office space for the purpose of establishing a Community Centre for Information and Counselling for the benefit of the hearing impaired young people. The Centre shall bear the name INFO-CLUB SENZOR. Under the terms of the partnership contract, the two organizations will cooperate in providing social services for deaf youth. Beyond office space, Caritas shall provide office furniture and part of equipment while the Senzor Foundation shall provide part of the equipment and also contribute to the payment of Internet connection fees.

 

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