Latest news from UK Deaf Sport
UK Deaf Sport (UKDS) has released their latest newsletter- DEAFinitely inclusive. This is for the national Deaf Sport participation project, led by UK Deaf Sport.
Half Yearly reviews
UKDS is meeting with National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) to review the first six months and to gather evidence of success. They will also take this opportunity to review their service and support to NGBs to identify further improvements. There is a lot of good work that will be showcased in greater detail in case studies. You can read some examples below.
Football
UKDS has worked with The FA to develop a national action plan. They have then met with regional Disability Football Development Fund Officers from the North East, North West, West Midlands, South East, London and South West. These meetings have successfully lobbied for a deaf element to DFDF development plans finalised in July 2014.
James Watkins National Project Officer for disability:
"The FA has a clear and valued action plan with UKDS that impacts a number of areas of the game including participation, inclusive practice, education and awareness and talent selection. This work, and specifically the development of deaf inclusive networks in key areas of the country, is supporting the effective engagement of The FA’s DFDF workforce with the deaf community."
Tennis
Tennis have a strong and mature Deaf sport offer. UKDS has worked with the tennis foundation to integrate their Deaf Tennis Action plan into local networks.
David Hillier, the disability development manager for the north:
“The network of partners that UK Deaf Sport have created allows tennis to have access to new participants in a co-ordinated way and allows us to address gaps in provision and provide new opportunities for new people to play regularly”.
National Governing Body of sport engagement
Clicking on the sport will provide you with the e mail address of the responsible officer for deaf people or those with hearing impairments.
Additional Sports
UKDS is also developing links to canoeing, sailability, shooting, handball, gymnastics, climbing and judo.
County Sport Partnerships
UKDS has continued to attend Regional Disability Forums sponsored by EFDS. Following the development of demographic information UKDS has focussed its support to County Sports Partnerships in the North West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and London. The 2014 focus is also reflected in the demographic priorities of most of the Deaf Sport Family Sport.
North East
Tyne and Wear Northumberland , Durham
East of England
Peterborough and Cambridgeshire
South
North West
Liverpool City , Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cumbria
Birmingham and West Mids
London
Yorkshire
North and West Yorkshire
East Midlands
Notts, Derbys, Lincs, Northants
South West
Clicking on the county names will provide you with the key coordinator email address for each area.
If any other organisation wishes to become a potential coordinating partner please contact Clive Breedon at UK Deaf Sport.
Roland Clarke Disability Officer Active Gloucestershire:
UK Deaf Sport plays a vital strategic role in the landscape of disability and inclusive sport, both by pulling together current research and information and also by creating strong multi agency partnerships which have the capability to deliver new and exciting opportunities for deaf and hearing impaired people.
DEAFinitely Inclusive Networks
These networks are regional networks that link together all interested parties allowing sports organisations, local authorities, training agencies and Deaf Community Organisations to network and develop sports participation, coaching and volunteering for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
North West Deafinitely Inclusive Network
The partnership has now met twice and has developed significantly over the last six months. The network now has an overarching plan that provides direction and has a clear understanding of organisational roles and responsibilities. So far Cricket, football, golf, and tennis are being delivered with further developments around athletics and squash planned.
Yorkshire Deafinitely Inclusive Network
City of York Council continues to lead the development of Deaf Sport in the area, with the North Yorkshire Disability forum playing an active part in developing a wider disability action plan which incorporates deaf sport. Sports currently being delivered are cycling, football, golf, athletics and tennis.
Birmingham and the West Midlands Deafinitely Inclusive Network
The network continues to increase sports opportunities in Birmingham. Most recently England athletics have run a Deaf Inclusive Leader in Running Fitness Course which has created two deaf Run leaders who are now delivering a deaf inclusive led run in Birmingham. Sports currently being delivered are football, badminton, athletics, golf, futsal and rugby.
London Deafinitely Inclusive Network
The London network steering group met for the first time in July, with a launch meeting involving the wider partnership being planned for October 2014. Motivate East is holding the first Deafinitely Inclusive Sports activity day on 14 September.
Jude Nortier Manchester Deaf Centre:
UK Deaf Sport are positively in the process of smashing these barriers down and giving budding athletes the opportunity to play sport at all levels alongside their hearing counterparts in the way is always should have been.
Inclusive Sports Fund Projects
UKDS has attended all Sport England regional network events and now engaged with 12 Round 2 Successful ISF projects to support them in developing a DEAFinitely Inclusive Offer as part of their multi sports programmes and linking them into the DEAFinitely inclusive Network.
Research, consultation and engagement with the Deaf Community
UKDS has developed a comprehensive Deaf Sports survey. This is being piloted in the North West with a view to rolling this out nationally potentially in early 2015.
The data provided in the nine regional fact sheets has been well received. This data is now available on the UKDS website. UKDS are also able to provide information to county level so please contact Clive Breedon at UK Deaf Sport if you want further information.
UKDS has also completed a major review of deaf organisations across England. This information is being used by NGB`s to make contact with local groups and to support the development of the Deafinitely Inclusive Networks.
Sustainable Planning and Strategic Integration
The structure of National NGB plans linked to locally developed action plans has begun to bear fruit and impact on local communities by providing more opportunities for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to participate in mainstream and deaf specific activities. The North West Deaf Sport action plan is a good example of this type of work.
British Sign language for Sport
UKDS has run a successful 5 day BSL for Sport level 1. The course gives participants a good grounding in basic British Sign Language for people who are regularly involved in working with Deaf Community groups and teams.
This accredited course can be delivered anywhere in England as long as 15 people attend. If you or your organisation are interested please contact Clive Breedon.
Effective Communication Courses
Recent research by The National Deaf Children’s Society has indicated that there is a need and potential demand for more mainstream clubs to attend the course.
UKDS is working with the English Federation For Disability Sport via its Regional Forums to promote to CSPs the need to plan this course into their annual coach education programme. Where there is a need UKDS would like to see at least one course per year per CSP.
For further information on the courses currently running please go to the SCUK Website
Courses taking place at time of publication
30/09/14 Northamptonshire
13/11/14 Hampshire
Coach Development
The number of deaf people attending NGB Coaching Courses is very low. UKDS is working with NGBs to identify potential coaches and integrate them into the system.
So far England Athletics have run two courses that have been communication enhanced and have created three new run leaders
In the South East Berkshire and Buck County FA are running a Deaf Specific Level 1 course in Maidenhead, further information can be found by clicking here.
This is great news and shows that sports NGBs are willing to support the development of deaf coaches. We do need to identify more deaf people who want to be coaches so if you are involved with the deaf community please make people aware of this support.
"Deafinitely Inclusive” Festival of Sport
Birmingham Deafinitely Inclusive Sports Event
Birmingham Institute for the Deaf (BID) ran its Deafinitely Inclusive Sports event at the Futsal Arena in Birmingham. Futsal, basketball, rowing, table tennis and badminton activities were available to an enthusiastic group of young (and not so young) people
City of York Deafinitely Inclusive Sports Event
City Of York Council ran it`s first Deafinitely Inclusive event in August. This was part of its wider ability counts activity week. The sports on offer were Athletics, golf and tennis. The vent enabled City Of York Council to develop further links with the deaf community.
London Deafinitely Inclusive Sports Event
The first Deafinitely Inclusive Sports event took place at the Mile End Stadium in East London on 14 September. An all day event from 10;00am until 4:00 pm it included athletics, badminton, golf, basketball, BMX, gym activities and tennis. Over 20 people attended and had a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
North East
A network is developing around the work of North Tyneside Council and the Signing In project. A Deaf Sports Festival saw 39 people attending
South West
As part of the ISF project Devon County Council have developed a Deaf multi sports club in conjunction with Deaf Academy at Exeter. In 2015, a second multi sport club is planned for Plymouth. Devon FA is developing Deaf inclusive football and the Climbing Academy in Bristol ran a successful deaf Inclusive climbing event as part of their climbing festival. Over 50 people, who are deaf or hard of hearing, attended.
Other DEAFinitely Inclusive Activities
UKDS will promote activities where coaches and volunteers are deaf aware and making appropriate communication adaptations. If you or your organisation want to promote your activities through UKDS, please make Clive Breedon aware.
Ongoing Support and Monitoring of Deaf Action Groups
UKDS has supported the North West group by facilitating two further meetings to both drive forward the action plan and also identify potential funding streams for the network.
Case Studies
UKDS has worked with a number of partners to provide case studies on some key work. These will be published in the coming months. They are also looking for more to provide learning for the wider network. If you want to share your success and have them published by our media partners, contact UK Deaf Sport.
