Latest news with #signlanguage
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Deaf clients say 'trust is gone' after 2 month Canadian Hearing Services strike
Social Sharing In early June, Jessica Sergeant waited five and a half hours for a sign language interpreter to arrive at her Ottawa hospital room while she had a cardiac emergency. Sergeant, who is deaf, said the long wait amid a strike by Canadian Hearing Services workers in Ontario was "traumatic." "I didn't know what was going on with my heart. I didn't know at all what was happening," she said through an interpreter in a recent interview. Sergeant said she was about to get into the ambulance when she texted the Canadian Hearing Services' Ontario provider to request an in-person American Sign Language interpreter. "And they said, 'Have the hospital call us,"' Sergeant recalled. She said there was no confirmation that an interpreter was coming by the time she got to the hospital, so she had to ask again by typing it out on her phone to show the hospital staff. "It's my body, my health, my heart at stake," she said. "Why is that power in the hands of the hospital or the organization providing the interpreter?" Finally, an interpreter showed up. But when Sergeant returned to the hospital 10 days later, she was told there were no interpreters available because of the strike. CHS employees head back to work next week More than 200 unionized Canadian Hearing Services employees — including interpreters, audiologists and counsellors walked off the job on April 28, leaving deaf and hard-of-hearing clients without critical services for more than two months. The employees are set to return to work on July 14 after voting this week to ratify a new three-year contract that includes pension, benefits and wage increases, said their union, CUPE 2073. But Sergeant and others who rely on Canadian Hearing Services say the strike has illuminated operational issues at the non-profit, and the need for broader change within the organization. "Trust is gone from the community," said Sergeant. She said timely access to an interpreter was a problem even before the strike. "The issue fundamentally is my rights as an individual," said Sergeant. "When I ask for a sign language interpreter, why isn't that respected and arranged accordingly, immediately?" During Sergeant's medical emergency last month, the hearing services provider shouldn't have required the hospital to verify the need for an interpreter after Sergeant had already requested one, said Leah Riddell, president of the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf. "There is a roster of interpreters, freelance interpreters, different organizations they could have contacted to provide an interpreter, but they made a fundamental decision that impacted Jessica's health," Riddell said through an interpreter. "They have a monopoly over all of us and all the services they provide, which puts us at a standstill." Riddell said the organization doesn't reflect the community it serves, which also affects service quality. "Their perspective is, 'We're going to do this for the Deaf community, but not with the Deaf community,' and that kind of attitudinal barrier causes more harm to the Deaf community," said Riddell. Although Canadian Hearing Services says on its website that the "majority" of its board of directors is deaf or hard of hearing, only two members identify as such in their bios. The organization did not respond to questions about its board and leadership diversity, but said in a statement that it continued offering interpreting services during the strike to clients who needed them for urgent matters such as hospital visits. "While we cannot discuss specific details about an individual client's service as that information is confidential, we can confirm that we have 100 per cent supported priority clients in all our programs and services offered during the labour dispute," CHS said. Parent questions CHS leadership after 2 strikes in decade Khaleelah McKnight, who has a 10-year-old deaf son and has also turned to CHS to learn American Sign Language, said the strike was "really disruptive" for her child's medical appointments. "It's a really big stress on me as a parent to have to interpret and be mom in an appointment and it also doesn't allow him to learn how to advocate for himself and to communicate," she said. The last time CHS workers walked off the job was for 10 weeks in 2017 — something McKnight said she remembers well. She said the two strikes have left her with little confidence in the leadership of the organization. "It's a marginalized community, and in your structure, you seem to have marginalized the very people you're serving," she said, adding that she recognizes the strike's impact on workers, many of whom are also Deaf or hard of hearing and have meaningful relationships with their clients. "The workers are burnt out, they have their own issues and concerns," Riddell said. "But at the same time, (CHS) promises to do better and they have not." Judith Greaves, a senior from Ottawa who has received interpretation services and mental health counselling from CHS over the past couple of decades, said that as some of those services become more internet-based and technology reliant, they are actually less accessible for people like her. She relies on satellite internet and said accessing interpreting services over applications such as Zoom can be tricky. "In the last 10 years it's gone downhill a bit, where upper management has drawn a line where they can only go so far to help you," she said.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘Trust is gone' after lengthy Canadian Hearing Services strike, some deaf clients say
Signage on the exterior of the Canadian Hearing Services building is seen in Toronto, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young In early June, Jessica Sergeant waited five and a half hours for a sign language interpreter to arrive at her Ottawa hospital room while she had a cardiac emergency. Sergeant, who is Deaf, said the long wait amid a strike by Canadian Hearing Services workers in Ontario was 'traumatic.' 'I didn't know what was going on with my heart. I didn't know at all what was happening,' she said through an interpreter in a recent interview. Sergeant said she was about to get into the ambulance when she texted the Canadian Hearing Services' Ontario provider to request an in-person American Sign Language interpreter. 'And they said, 'Have the hospital call us,'' Sergeant recalled. She said there was no confirmation that an interpreter was coming by the time she got to the hospital, so she had to ask again by typing it out on her phone to show the hospital staff. 'It's my body, my health, my heart at stake,' she said. 'Why is that power in the hands of the hospital or the organization providing the interpreter?' Finally, an interpreter showed up. But when Sergeant returned to the hospital 10 days later, she was told there were no interpreters available because of the strike. More than 200 unionized Canadian Hearing Services employees — including interpreters, audiologists and counsellors — walked off the job on April 28, leaving deaf and hard-of-hearing clients without critical services for more than two months. The employees are set to return to work on July 14 after voting this week to ratify a new three-year contract that includes pension, benefits and wage increases, said their union, CUPE 2073. But Sergeant and others who rely on Canadian Hearing Services say the strike has illuminated operational issues at the non-profit, and the need for broader change within the organization. 'Trust is gone from the community,' said Sergeant. She said timely access to an interpreter was a problem even before the strike. 'The issue fundamentally is my rights as an individual,' said Sergeant. 'When I ask for a sign language interpreter, why isn't that respected and arranged accordingly, immediately?' During Sergeant's medical emergency last month, the hearing services provider shouldn't have required the hospital to verify the need for an interpreter after Sergeant had already requested one, said Leah Riddell, president of the Ontario Cultural Society of the Deaf. 'There is a roster of interpreters, freelance interpreters, different organizations they could have contacted to provide an interpreter, but they made a fundamental decision that impacted Jessica's health,' Riddell said through an interpreter. 'They have a monopoly over all of us and all the services they provide, which puts us at a standstill.' Riddell said the organization doesn't reflect the community it serves, which also affects service quality. 'Their perspective is, 'We're going to do this for the Deaf community, but not with the Deaf community,' and that kind of attitudinal barrier causes more harm to the Deaf community,' said Riddell. Although Canadian Hearing Services says on its website that the 'majority' of its board of directors is Deaf or hard of hearing, only two members identify as such in their bios. The organization did not respond to questions about its board and leadership diversity, but said in a statement that it continued offering interpreting services during the strike to clients who needed them for urgent matters such as hospital visits. 'While we cannot discuss specific details about an individual client's service as that information is confidential, we can confirm that we have 100 per cent supported priority clients in all our programs and services offered during the labour dispute,' CHS said. Khaleelah McKnight, who has a 10-year-old Deaf son and has also turned to CHS to learn American Sign Language, said the strike was 'really disruptive' for her child's medical appointments. 'It's a really big stress on me as a parent to have to interpret and be mom in an appointment and it also doesn't allow him to learn how to advocate for himself and to communicate,' she said. The last time CHS workers walked off the job was for 10 weeks in 2017 — something McKnight said she remembers well. She said the two strikes have left her with little confidence in the leadership of the organization. 'It's a marginalized community, and in your structure, you seem to have marginalized the very people you're serving,' she said, adding that she recognizes the strike's impact on workers, many of whom are also Deaf or hard of hearing and have meaningful relationships with their clients. 'The workers are burnt out, they have their own issues and concerns,' Riddell said. 'But at the same time, (CHS) promises to do better and they have not.' Judith Greaves, a senior from Ottawa who has received interpretation services and mental health counselling from CHS over the past couple of decades, said that as some of those services become more internet-based and technology-reliant, they are actually less accessible for people like her. She relies on satellite internet and said accessing interpreting services over applications such as Zoom can be tricky. 'In the last 10 years it's gone downhill a bit, where upper management has drawn a line where they can only go so far to help you,' she said. 'We need CHS staff to get back to work and do their jobs and we also need CHS to be more Deaf friendly and do a little bit more for us.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025. Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press
BBC News
07-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Sign language boards for Leeds playgrounds
Children in Leeds are being encouraged to learn sign language, with educational boards being put up in playgrounds across the boards showing the British Sign Language (BSL) alphabet and a selection of words have been placed in 10 play areas with the aim of helping youngsters communicate. The Leeds Deaf Children's Society, which successfully applied for a grant to fund the boards, said it would help those unable to hear feel "less isolated" among their Hughes, from the society, said: "We needed to use the money to improve the communication skills of local deaf children and we thought putting the signs in parks was a way we could reach as many families as possible." Ms Hughes explained: "Our son is profoundly deaf and wears cochlear implants. "When he's not wearing them, we sign with him and it's important he has an additional way of communicating with us, and also with other deaf people."The sign language boards have been installed in children's play areas at Pudsey Park, Horsforth Hall Park and Bramley Park, as well as in Yeadon Tarnfield Park and Stanningley Park. They have also been placed in Springhead Park in Rothwell, Heritage Village, Blands Avenue in Allerton Bywater, Cross Flatts Park and East End councillors Helen Hayden and Mohammed Rafique said: "The new signs are a great improvement to the playgrounds, encouraging interaction between all children, deaf and hearing. "Learning basic BSL is useful to any person, and we're hoping this will reach many local families and help them learn a new language." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Zawya
02-07-2025
- General
- Zawya
Eritrea: Sign Language Training in Asmara
Sign language training programs lasting from three to six months have been provided to 12 teachers and 55 students of Denden High School in Asmara. Mr. Daniel Habte, director of the school, stated that the objective of the training was to facilitate communication with hearing-impaired individuals in general, and with students in particular. The event featured presentations and performances reflecting the knowledge the students gained from the training. Mr. Hagos Kidane, from the Central Region education office, said that in the 2024/2025 academic year, Denden High School provided educational opportunities to 14 students with hearing impairments, and that the training will play a significant role in improving the teaching and learning process for these students. The trainees, expressing appreciation for the training opportunity provided, also affirmed their readiness to apply their training to assist hearing-impaired students in their school. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
RNZ News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Listening without hearing: What concerts are like for deaf people
Glastonbury might be over for 2025, but the memories will live on for all the festival goers. One act that was especially memorable was the sign language interpreters. The crowd went wild for them. Deaf Aotearoa cultural lead and regular concert-goer Erica Dawson, and interpreter Alan Wendt, joined Jesse to discuss what a music festival is like if you're deaf. Party goers dance in The Salon Carousel venue in the Unfairground area on the fifth day of the Glastonbury. Photo: OLI SCARFF
