Deaf Awareness Week 2022

Monday 2 May 2022 marks the start of Deaf Awareness Week 2022. This year's theme is 'Inclusion Deafness'.

Around 1 million people in Scotland are living with some form of hearing loss. That’s 1 in 5 of the population. Deaf Awareness Week 2022 aims to promote inclusion within the community.

Aims of Deaf Awareness Week

Deafness comes with many challenges. However, often these struggles go unseen. This can cause feelings of exclusion and invisibility.

This is why Deaf Awareness Week 2022 is focusing on 'Inclusion Deafness'. It aims to:

  • highlight the impact of hearing loss on everyday life
  • demonstrate the importance of mental health in people with hearing loss
  • increase visibility and inclusion of underrepresented groups
  • raise issues of deafness being overlooked within education and the workplace

How to get involved

There are lots of things you can do to get involved in Deaf Awareness Week. You can:

  • download the Deaf Awareness Week poster - it can be displayed in schools and campuses to raise awareness of deafness
  • share your story with the UK Council on Deafness
  • show others what deafness can be like through paintings, drawings or a recording
  • talk about deafness with others
  • arrange an 'Inclusion Deafness' event – this could be a talk, a presentation or a discussion
  • share your top tips on navigating things like higher education, work and shopping as a deaf person

Share your activities on social media using the hashtags #lnclusionDeafness and #MyDeafStory

Go to UK Council on Deafness website for further information.

Resources for British Sign Language (BSL) users

You can find BSL videos on various health topics on the NHS inform:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESGWCd29lWs)

Telephone services

To communicate with NHS 24 phone-based services, including:

  • the 111 service
  • the NHS inform helpline (0800 22 44 88)
  • Breathing Space (0800 83 85 87)

You can:

  • dial 18001 followed by the number you want to call on your textphone
  • use the Relay UK app

BSL users can use Contact Scotland BSL to contact NHS 24 phone services (including 111 and the NHS inform helpline) day or night. This is an online BSL interpreting video relay service.

Useful websites

For information, advice and support in Scotland visit: