Collaboration#4: Acquiring A Skill

All over the world deaf people get educated, have careers and successfully find jobs and that happens because of equal opportunity and laws that make discrimination illegal. In my last post I discussed what employers were looking for in prospective employees and how hard it is for a deaf person to find employment even though they are qualified in Trinidad and Tobago. The options available for deaf people to be financially independent are limited and that's why for this post I teamed up with Blossom who runs the blog Handmade by Blossom to show that by acquiring different skills or by learning a craft a deaf person can become self employed and be financially independent. I  believe that unless a lot of changes take place in this country entrepreneurship is the best way forward for deaf persons and anyone else who is interested in working for their self. 

Blossom is a very talented young lady who started making jewelry and other craft in 2006. What I found to be most amazing is that she is self taught. Her business is registered and she sells her pieces to individuals and companies; both local and foreign. She is also a YTEPP teacher and has had the privilege of teaching deaf people through the YTEPP Deaf Pioneers in Arima. She works with a sign language interpreter when she teaches but she is also learning sign language. Blossom also gives private classes for anyone who is interested in learning. I am really impressed by her work and the fact that she is teaching it to others and thereby providing them with the skill needed to become financially independent. Take a look at a video where she teaches me how to make a pearl necklace and also some of her work.

Collaboration#3: Perfect Employee

Good Evening

For this post I teamed up with Shivanee Loach, who's blog (findingameaningfuljob) is about getting the ideal job and the do's and don'ts of job hunting. We wanted to hear first hand from employers what they were looking for when hiring a new employee and also to find out about employers views on hiring deaf employees. We went to businesses in Port-of-Spain and got 20 businesses to give us a bit of their time and answer our questions about their hiring practices. We tried to find a different variety of business such as clinics, security firms, lawyer offices, supermarkets, insurance agencies, variety stores etc. 

We tried to keep it simple and asked each business what qualities they looked for when hiring an employee and if they were willing to hire someone who was deaf. Take a look at some of the answers that were given

Employers were looking for employees with:

• Intelligence: the ability to plan, organize and solve problems, common sense is also important
• Leadership abilities
• Qualification: must be educated in the field
• Integrity: admits to mistakes and demonstrates loyalty
• Likability: warm friendly and easy going, must work well with others, be a team player
• Competence: the ability to get the job done
• Punctual: being on time was really important for the company to function efficiently 
• Dress Code: must dress properly
• Competitive: a drive to succeed and be the best
• Ambitious: always striving to be better
• Ability to adapt to changes within the company
• Creative: formulate new ideas 
• Passionate: love the field and enjoy the job
• Decisive: willing to make tough decisions

Most said that through an interview and by asking prospective employees key questions they could determine whether that person would be suitable for the job.

Out of  the 20 companies only 3 said they would be willing to hire someone who is deaf. They believed that the deaf person once qualified for the job would be a great addition to their staff. The other 17 stated that they would not be willing to hire someone who is deaf and they gave the following reasons why:

• Communication barrier with other workers
• Unable to use the telephone
• Employer unwilling to spend the money required to make special arrangements for a disabled employee
• They felt it would be disruptive
• Deaf person may not be qualified
• The deaf person might not fit in with the other workers
• Co-workers may feel awkward about how to interact with them, may fear an increase in their work load, deaf person may receive special treatment from the employer
• Employers feared that customers would react negatively to the deaf person and they would lose money

Is these responses fair? I don't think so but guess what they are within their rights to hire who ever they please, there are no laws in place to prevent this kind of behavior. In other countries the laws make it mandatory for companies to hire disabled persons once they're qualified for the position, this makes sure that people with disabilities are not discriminated against and are able to provide for their families.

Deaf people in Trinidad have very limited job opportunities, they can become teachers of sign language, small business owners if they have a skill and most of all supermarket employees. I believe that government can play a critical role in the future of employment for the deaf, they must implement laws that make discrimination because of a disability illegal. Think for a moment if you owned a business would you hire someone who is deaf?

Collaboration#2: Disability: Impact on Families

Good Morning 

I understand to a certain degree how life changing having a disability can be.  When I was 12 yrs I fell off stairs and ended up fracturing my left hip but the doctors at the hospital never did any proper examination and told my mom it was just a torn ligament and gave instructions based on that, my mom was a struggling single parent and public health care was our only option so she followed the doctors instruction and I walked with what I thought would be a temporary limp. Months passed and then a year and it never got better so she took me back and then they did an X-ray and that’s how we found out about the fracture but by then it was too late it had already healed and this meant I would permanently have a limp or my mom would have to pay privately to have it corrected which we couldn't afford. This affected my early years I was shy and self conscious and hated all the questions that people would ask and of course the other kids teased me and I acquired quite a few creative nick names from them. Thankfully as I got older I have been able to accept myself and my confidence grew but the journey to love the skin you’re in continues.  In society anyone who is not the same as everyone else is made fully aware of the fact. The “other” is feared and made to feel like an alien or outcast, so everyone fights so hard to be considered normal never realizing that it is the differences that make a person unique and special.

We all can empathize and some of us even know what it is to be different or cope with what others view as a disability but we never stop to think about what the family of a disable person goes through or how they cope. In this post which is a collaboration with Scottypedia(Damian Scott) I want focus on this aspect because lets face it they go through the journey with you whether they want to or not and I think that they endure all of the hurt and ask God the same questions that the person with the disability does.

Damien shared with me the fact that his dad became legally blind after a struggle with Diabetes and Glaucoma, he gave insight into the changes that he and his mom had to make to live with his dad and ensure his comfort and health. These situations are never easy and I commend him for sharing his journey, I hope you will check out his blog and read his story.

Many families have had to change their lifestyle and adapt due to a family member having a disability and a friend of mines was kind enough to share her story with me. This friend was blessed with four sons and when her first son was born she was so happy and about four months later her world turned upside down, she got him tested because he did not respond to sounds. He was found to be profoundly deaf, she was really sad about it and didn't react well to the situation she told me that she cried a lot at first; it was something that she never expected to have to deal with. I can tell you as a mother the most fervent prayer whilst pregnant was “lord let my child be healthy” so you tend not to be prepared for anything other than a bouncy beautifully healthy baby, and in her case it was not something visible, you can’t watch a deaf person and automatically know that they are deaf. She described the experience as challenging, if you read one of my earlier posts about circumnavigating the deaf associations you’ll understand what she went through.

She had to learned as he learned and initially enrolled him in a program at DRETCHI but she said in hind sight it did not make sense for him to be there as it was more geared for children who could hear. She also mentioned that at the time none of DRETCH’s staff knew how to use sign language. DRETCHI also provided him with a free hearing aide but he could only hear really loud noise if he wore it and he didn't like using it.  She had to learn sign language to communicate with him and she got him enrolled in the Cascade School for the Deaf when he was 3 years old. She had to go to school with him every day and stay because of the distance; she eventually ended up being an assistant at the school. Home she had to label everything in the house to help him learn about his environment and a major challenge she faced was teaching him to read. Her second son is deaf also but she said that the experience was easier than the first because she already knew the procedure and how to go about everything. Her last two boys are hearing but bilingual because signing is their second language. They all have a great relationship with each other and she said that even members of her community learned to sign so that could communicate with her sons.

She describes the experience as life changing and humbling. She is partly happy and sad, happy because her kids turned out good but sad because of the way that society treats people who are deaf. She is worried about the future and her sons’ ability to provide for their self financially because even though qualified it is difficult for them to get jobs. Her oldest son now works at Xtra Food supermarket and she described his frustration because he can’t get a better job even though he is trained in office administration and her younger son is in form five and sitting CXC soon.

How do you think you would cope if you were placed in a similar situation, can you imagine how different your life would be. These types of situations can impact families on a financial, mental and emotional level and some families grow stronger and closer but there are families that get destroyed because it is too much for them to deal with.

This journey has given me a lot of food for thought and makes me appreciate my family especially my mom for her ability to cope in our situation.

Collaboration#1: Tour of Cascade school for the Deaf

Good Morning 

On Tuesday 21st April Giselle Permell and I got to talk to the Principal of the school Ms Monsegue and sit in on a class and interact with some of the students. Firstly I must say thanks to Giselle she did a wonderful job with the pictures as you will see for yourself, while we were unable to take pictures of the students as it is against school policy she was able to capture their beautiful learning  environment and also thanks to Ms Monsegue, her staff and students for the warm welcome. 

The session was very informative and I learned a lot about the day to day activities of the school. The school was established in 1943. and was initially overseen by the Trinidad and Tobago Association for the Hearing Impaired but it eventually became a government assisted public  primary  school but the property is still owned by the Association and the dorm and dorm staff is run by them. The school currently has thirty-three students, twenty-one of which attend the Cascade school for the Deaf, seven attend the Belmont Primary School and five attend the Good Shepperd Anglican Primary School, these students are accompanied and taught by staff from the Cascade School for the Deaf. The school has Seventeen members of staff all of whom had no special education training before they were placed at the school. I was shocked because I could not understand how a teacher could be placed at a school to teach children that they could not communicate with. Ms Monsegue explained that while the situation was not ideal, new teachers were place with an experienced teacher until they were able to communicate in sign and teach a class on their own. The School is listed as a primary school but students age range from 4 years to 17 yrs which seemed to be another issue. The students are split into three groups; infants, juniors and seniors and the classes are small, which in my view benefits the students because they are able to get more individual attention.

Ms Mosegue the acting principal did a five weeks of  teacher training at the school after she graduated and has been with the school ever since. She has been a teacher since 1996 and acting principal since 2013. when asked why she had decided to teach deaf children she responded by saying "she wanted to make a difference and felt that she could help the deaf" she also said that one of the biggest challenges that she has face thus far is teaching deaf children language and reading. Because of the way sign language is structured and visual it is difficult for deaf children to grasp English language on paper. She also believes that a lot more needs to be done to help deaf students achieve all that they can achieve. Ms Monsegue also spoke about the role that parents played in helping their deaf child to learn to communicate from as early as possible, she said ideally from three months old. One teacher Miss Smith suggested that preschools for deaf children need to be established.

The school covers the usual syllabus that is required for a primary school except that they are not preparing for Sea exams. Some students spend two years at the school and then they are placed in another primary school to continue their studies. It is felt that this will help them to become more social and allow them to interact with hearing children. The children also learn different crafts and computer skills, dancing and go on field trips. The students who do not get filtered into a primary school eventually move on to the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities where they learn  skills that will prepare them for the world of work. 

Due to the distance that some students have to travel to get to school everyday, the school has live in facilities. The dorm has fifteen members of staff most of whom has been there for over ten years. Currently sixteen children reside in the dorm, they recieve all meals and snacks and have 24 hours supervision. The dorm environment is very nice and clean, and the staff was very polite and friendly. Children are taken home by their parents for the weekend.

The experience was a good one for me and I would recommend that others visit and also volunteer. The children are bright, helpful and very friendly and I was able to use the signs that i having been learning, i was even given a name in sign while i was there. The school has a sign language for parents of deaf children and also for members of the public who are interested in learning to sign. it was really an enjoyable experience and also a sad one because a lot still needs to be done to ensure that deaf children achieve their full potential.

Deaf Culture: Music

       

           I grew up in a musical family and while I've been unable to master any instrument (not even a recorder) fortunately I was blessed with a decent voice and singing has been a lucrative hobby since the age of fifteen. I use music to express my emotion, it soothes and calms me when I am sad, it  plays a major role in my life and I can find something in any genre that I can connect to. I've often felt that deaf people are missing out on such a wonderful experience because they can't hear but I am happy to report that I have been wrong in my assessment. Deaf people enjoy music, play instruments and dance albeit their experience of music is different to that of someone who hears.

          Have you ever been to a party and stood to close to the speaker box, the vibrations emitted would be so powerful that you'd have to switch locations, well that is just an example that shows that music is more than just sound; it creates vibrations, has lyrics and evokes emotion. Music does not have to be heard to be enjoyed it can be felt. Famous deaf solo percussionist and composer Evelyn Glennie states "Hearing is basically a specialized form of touch, sound is simply vibrating air which the ear picks up and converts to electrical signals, which are then interpreted by the brain. The sense of hearing is not the only sense that can do this, touch can do this too" Glennie lost her hearing at the age of twelve and her to learn to feel music instead. She explains in an article how she adapted to and learned the feel of different instruments by leaning against the wall during class. The article also mentions famous composer Bethoven who went deaf at the age of thirty but continued to compose successfully in spite of being deaf.

The world of music is changing for members of the deaf community. A lot of deaf musicians and technical staff are joining forces to create music videos using ASL so that deaf people can easily enjoy them. This article Beyond Vibrations also give good insight as to the progress that is being made in the world of music by the deaf community. 

Deaf Culture: Art

Hello everyone

I was looking at some art done by deaf artist and decided to share it with you.

Art is a visual representation of feelings, information and stories. there are many deaf artist worldwide but before the advent of the internet show casing their work was difficult, now it is easy for deaf artist to show case and sell their work online. 

 Deaf art falls under two main categories, one of which is called Disenfranchised Art, this type of art is created by people who are deprived of rights and privilege. they use art to highlight their history and experiences. they use art as a for of celebration and affirmation and also to explore issues of oppression and struggles. The other category is called De'Via, this type of art explores the artist perception of their deaf experiences by using formal elements of art, intense colors and contrasting Textures.

 

There are deaf artist who practice art in any form that cover a variety of subjects and are compared to other hearing artist but they are not considered to be Disenfranchised or De'Via artist. A hearing person can be a Disenfranchised or De'Via artist as long of their work is intended to show their deaf experience.

This last painting was done by Susan Dupor and is called Family Dog and it really struck a cord with me it is meant to reflect how a deaf child feels growing up in a hearing family. I hope that all of you can appreciate the very real struggle that some people face.

Employment

Good Evening  

Can you remember your last job interview? I can certainly remember mines; I was very nervous about what they would ask, if they would like me and most important would I get the job. Well if you think interviews are hard for you think about not being able to communicate with your prospective employer in the conventional way. Most deaf people have a hard time gaining employment and getting through an interview once the employer discovers that they are deaf. Potential employers see hiring a deaf person as an unnecessary complication that they would rather do without even though the deaf person might be more than qualified for the job. 

 Deaf people do not want to be burdens on the state they want the opportunity to contribute to society and also to be able to provide for their families. It is important to change the misconceptions that employers have about deaf people as workers; they are just as competent, diligent and hard working as anyone else.

So what alternatives does a deaf person who can not find employment have? well sadly some have had to rely on the government for monthly disability grants, some end up doing menial jobs that they are over qualified for and others have started their own business. In December 2014 Enterprise Hub which is a private business support and training agency had a one day "introduction to business start up" workshop for deaf participants, their aim is to have a series of workshops that focus on different aspects of entrepreneurship and business administration. The initiative seems to be the first of its kind and imparted valuable knowledge to the participants most of whom already have their own small business or hope to start one in the future.

I think that private companies can use this as an example of how they to can get involved and give back to society and help others to improve their lives. The participants and creators of the initiative had an interview with the express check it out.