Employment coaches, Genevieve Gosling and Jessica Dullaway have never stopped imagining a better future for the people they support.
Last year, after Jess relocated to the Business Solutions Maryborough site, they both identified that Auslan could be utilised as a better way to communicate with hearing-impaired team members (present and future) like for employee, John who has worked at Business Solutions Maryborough for 12.5 years.
They arranged for an independent trainer to visit the site across 6-weeks to conduct a basic Auslan crash course which catered around the site’s operations specifically, being a timber manufacturing business service.
With communication barriers removed, Auslan has helped the team provide clear instructions to John. In effect, this decreases his feelings of frustration and isolation within his work environment which support his goal of maintaining employment.
Jess and Gen kindly answered a few questions about their journeys so far:
What are some useful signs you utilise when communicating?
The most useful signs within our worksite vary between basic signs, greetings, family, the manual alphabet, emotions, questions, objects, direction, movement, and operation/safety. We still have so much more to learn, but we have enjoyed the process and seeing the difference in John has lifted our spirits so much.
What is the most rewarding part about your role?
Jess
The most rewarding part about my role, is flowing through each day knowing I’m making a difference and pushing harder to achieve my goal of ‘working myself out of a job’ within the disability sector.
Gen
Throughout my career within the disability sector I have felt that I am a part of a community where everyone knows they are safe and always supported. I find inspiration in watching people break down barriers. One of my fondest moments was witnessing an employee raise their hand to answer a question in front of a group of people for the first time because they found their confidence.
Why do you think it is important for the hearing community to learn Auslan?
It is important for the hearing community to learn Auslan to support our Deaf community and become one. Many of us really take for granted one sense that some people lack and struggle with every moment of every day.
We believe Auslan should be learnt as a second language, especially within schools. Since both starting our journey with learning Auslan, we have also introduced it to our young primary school children at home and are educating them around the importance of the language.
We have also commenced introducing basic signs into our training days with our employees so they can also be involved in breaking down the communication barrier.
Gen’s personal journey
Gen went through her own experience with hearing loss in 2019. During this time, she learnt firsthand some of the struggles and challenges that the hearing impaired community deal with on a daily basis.
At first I was frustrated to continue to ask others to repeat themselves multiple times, but I was very touched by my friends who were willing to support me with day-to-day errands (though I felt I had lost much independence to a degree).
Certain tasks such as visiting the pharmacy made me feel nervous as I knew that when they would call my name out, I would not hear it. One instance that had the biggest impact on me was when I thought my name had been called out so I raised my hand, when the lady serving discovered I had heard incorrectly she appeared upset that she almost had handed me the wrong medication.
I tried to explain with my little note pad and pen what had happened, but was instantly dismissed. In that moment I felt vulnerable and I had no voice to defend myself as my speech had become impacted by my hearing.
I want to help end the feeling of isolation and every other emotion and challenge that comes with hearing impairments by educating myself and others around me and teaching certain signs whether it is the alphabet or to simply ask ‘how are you today’.
Is your team also breaking barriers? Do you use Auslan on-site to communicate with the people you support? If so, we would love you to tell your story. Please reach out to us via [email protected] or submit a form, and we will be in touch.
Interested in learning Auslan? Chloe wants to teach you! Head to our ‘Learn Auslan with Chloe’ page to start signing. 😊
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