Advocacy Report
It's a year or two or three since we wrote an advocacy report so we thought an update was timely!
Queensland Rail Reference Group
After years participating as a representative of Better Hearing Brisbane on the Accessibility Reference Group, I tendered my resignation in 2014. I received a very nice letter of commendation from Ms Helen Gruer, CEO of QR.
Two highlights stand out for me, during my time with Queensland Rail. The first involved a request for me to undertake a consumer engagement research project, visiting NSW, Victoria and South Australia. I undertook this, subject to having Jill's involvement also. The aim of the project was to ascertain the availability of communication systems on state rail passenger systems for people who were Deaf / hearing impaired, through consumer focus groups and meetings with senior staff members of the of the respective state rail systems. The focus groups involved Better Hearing Australia NSW, Victoria and South Australia/ SHHH NSW / and the Deaf community services in NSW and Victoria. Our Report was well received.
At one stage of my involvement on the Accessibility Group, I had the opportunity to advocate for and support the installation of overhead communication consoles, to provide written information for rail passengers with hearing impairment / Deafness, and other commuters who could not understand the information coming over the public address systems. Subsequently, all train carriages built after 1996 have been fitted with the visual information consoles.
Mrs Carol-Anne Greensill, current President of BHA Brisbane, has undertaken to represent BHA Brisbane on the Accessibility Group.
Audiology and Psychology students.
Since 2011, Jill and I have had the privilege of giving presentations to audiology students undertaking the Masters Degree Course in Audiological studies, at the University of Qld. A major aspect of the curriculum has been the focus on whole person rehabilitation. On behalf of Better Hearing Australia Brisbane, Jill and I have been giving personal viewpoints, and speaking on the role that self help organisations can play, in the overall hearing health and support of those with impaired hearing, in conjunction with hearing health providers.
We have long held the view that psychological support should be available to those hearing impaired adults, facing the isolation, social and emotional impact of the disability. In 2014 and 2015 we lobbied for, and had opportunity to give presentations to post graduate students at the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University, on those challenges facing hearing impaired adults, in coping with the isolation and its consequences experienced by many.
Communication Access
Over several years, Jill and I, with some other members of the Redlands Hearing Impaired Support Group, have lobbied the Redland City Council and the Board of the Donald Simpson Community Centre regarding the need for communication access. There is now access in Council's Community Halls, Libraries, and Customer Service Centres, with the Council putting regular advice regarding access, in its section of our local Redlands newspaper, to reach current and new residents.
During 2014 – 2015 The Donald Simpson Community Centre had communication access systems installed throughout the Centre, setting what we believe to be a benchmark in meeting the requirements of deaf / hearing impaired people in relation to the provision of communication access.
Our thanks go to Redlands Mayor Karen Williams, and to the DSCC Board Chairman Tony Christinson for their support of, and response to our lobbying, and to Paul Barnes, Convenor of the RHISG who has undertaken to ensure that the many groups and individuals who use the DSCCentre are aware of the use and benefits of the technology provided.
We continue to attend, as deaf / hearing impaired consumer representatives at:
- the Deaf & Hearing Impaired Services Meetings at Princess Alexandra Hospital
- the Deafness and Hearing Impaired Mental Health Networking Group at Kessels Rd McGregor
- Metro South Health Consumers on Committees Network Meetings.
