KERRY DEAF RESOURCE CENTRE UPDATE 17.05.10
THANKS TO MARKS AND SPENCERS
We like to extend a big thank you to the staff and Management of Marks &
Spencers in Killarney, Co. Kerry. The staff recently donated 250 euro to our
service. In times of economic difficulties in Ireland, we are delighted that
M & S chose us for this donation. We will ensure the money is spent wisely.
On behalf of our staff and clients, a huge thank you to everyone involved.
NATIONWIDE FORUM FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES OF D/deaf AND HARD OF HEARING
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS
Following the Deaf & hard of hearing Education Conference in Croke Park, a
group of parents met up to discuss setting up a Nationwide Parents Forum for
parents and families of D/deaf and hard of hearing children and young
adults. This Forum will be for all parents of D/deaf and hard of hearing
children and young adults, in special schools and main stream; who use ISL
and/or oral language; with and without cochlear implants.
In order to get as many people involved from the start, the Forum is
inviting all parents of D/deaf and hard of hearing children from all around
the country to attend an information and discussion event on Saturday 22nd
May 2010 from 11am till 3.30pm. It will be held in The Aisling Hotel,
Parkgate Street, Dublin. The aim of the meeting is give an opportunity for
people to come along and give their views and ideas on what they want in
forming this group.
The CIDP, IDS and DeafHear will each give a short presentation on their
organisation and how they can support the Parents’ Forum. This initial
gathering is being sponsored by the Catholic Institute for Deaf People. The
theme of the day is ‘Looking Forward’. The event is free and lunch is
included.
More information and the schedule for the meeting is attached to this email.
To confirm your attendance at the meeting, please fill out the attached
registration form, or contact Alison at CIDP: email – [email protected],
phone/text – 087- 6205426 for a registration form and further information.
CDS BRISTOL THREATENED WITHDRAWAL OF BSc IN DEAF STUDIES.
The Deaf Community around the world including Ireland have benefited greatly
from Deaf Studies/ Sign Language Interpreter training in the Centre for Deaf
Studies (CDS) in Bristol University. Staff members from our service
graduated from Bristol on two of its programmes that were co-hosted by
Trinity College and University College Cork.
The University is currently considering plans to withdraw the CDS’s
long-running BSc in Deaf Studies due to financial and academic reasons.
According to University authorities, the Degree programme is expensive and
does not fit in with faculty priorities. If the Degree closes approx. 75% of
CDS Bristol staff will lose their jobs, including most Deaf staff. At the
moment it is not known exactly how and when these recommendations will come
into effect.
This would have a disastrous impact on Deaf and hearing people in many ways,
including:
– exacerbating the existing crisis in the UK Deaf community caused by the
acute shortage of interpreters,
– negative effects on present students,
– severe reduction of CDS’s ability to continue its 30 year tradition of
initiating and supporting progressive academic and other Deaf-related
developments, including lobbying for Deaf rights and equality,
– impact on the global development of quality Deaf Studies work,
– and negative impact on Deaf people’s access to a wide range of vital
information.
Under UK law, the University is required to carry out an assessment of the
effect of its planned actions on Deaf/disabled people, and on the community
in general.
Please support the CDS Bristol and send a letter to the University decision
makers or to sign the petition against the closure. For more information on
the CDS, its list of achievements and to sign the petition go to:
www.savedeafstudies.org.uk
Send your letter to:
Prof. Eric Thomas, Vice Chancellor, Uni. of Bristol, Senate House, Tyndall
Ave., Bristol BS8 1TH and/or
Prof. David Clarke, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Uni. of Bristol, Senate House,
Tyndall Ave., Bristol BS8 1TH
You can also email your letter to [email protected]
Please copy any letters to: [email protected] so that correspondence
can be monitored.
OUR CONTACT DETAILS:
Kerry Deaf Resource Centre
4 Gas Tce, Tralee
Mobile (text): 087 633 4687
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kerrydeaf.com
www.facebook.com/kerrydeaf
Fax: 066 712 0386
Tel: 066 712 0399