Action Deaf Youth

Action Deaf Youth is the largest deaf youth organisation in Northern Ireland,[2][3] headquartered in Belfast. Founded in 1988 as the Northern Ireland Deaf Youth Association, it is a registered charity offering mentoring, training and volunteer services to deaf children and young people up to the age of 30.[2][4] Services provided include play therapy sessions and sign camps, and youth clubs and events enabling deaf teens to participate in their communities and meet and build relationships with their peers across Northern Ireland.[5]

Action Deaf Youth
AbbreviationADY
Formation1988
TypeRegistered charity
PurposeDeaf youth support
HeadquartersBelfast, Northern Ireland
Chairperson
Rosie McGee[1]
Organiser
Richard Dougherty[1]
Senior Manager
Caroline Doherty[1]
Websiteactiondeafyouth.org
Formerly called
Northern Ireland Deaf Youth Association (NIDYA)

Background

The Northern Ireland Deaf Youth Association (NIDYA) was set up in 1988 by a group of 12 young people, including individuals from different regions of Northern Ireland,[6] who identified a shared feeling of isolation and need for support.[7] For many years, it was based out of Wilton House in Belfast.[8][7] Through the 1990s, the association was led by co-founder Malachy McBurney,[7][6] and received help in fundraising from Tom Ferguson, an avid supporter of the Deaf community in Northern Ireland.[9]

In 2001, the NIDYA co-authored a landmark report with the University of Ulster titled, "Big 'D' wee 'd': The lives of young deaf people in Northern Ireland".[10][11] The study was the first of its kind to be conducted in Northern Ireland, and found that young deaf people faced "discrimination, cultural isolation and segregation in schools and the workplace".[10] Based on the report's findings, University of Ulster and NIDYA called on the Department of Education to review the standard of education provision for deaf children, questioning why 40% of deaf children in Northern Ireland were forced to leave their families at a young age to attend specialist schools in Dublin and England.[10]

Services

The organisation provides an early childhood service called "Let's Play and Grow" for deaf children from infants to eight years of age and their families. Group play sessions led by a team of specialists help deaf children with language acquisition, communication, peer interaction, and literacy.[12] They can also help parents learn sign language, so they can communicate more effectively with their children at home.[2] During school holidays, Action Deaf Youth offers outdoor play camps for deaf children aged four to eight, along with their siblings.[13]

It also provides Play and Creative Arts Therapy sessions for children between the ages of 3 and 12+ experiencing emotional and psychological challenges or issues with behaviour, which are available by referral only.[14][2]

For youths ages 11 through 25, Action Deaf Youth offers youth support throughout Northern Ireland, through youth clubs that develop skills, self-confidence, and friendships, and encourage young people to explore ways to manage their deafness.[15][16] In addition, the charity has worked with mainstream youth clubs to raise awareness about deafness.[2]

Events and programmes

Action Deaf Youth organises numerous events and programmes for deaf children and young people. It has hosted free employment and training support days for school leavers, with participation from organisations such as the British Deaf Association and D'Sign Arts NI.[17]

The organisation also encourages members to lobby politicians on issues affecting deaf youth.[2] In 2015, Action Deaf Youth organised a bilateral exchange with the Hungarian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SINOSZ).[3] As part of the exchange, 18 delegates from Northern Ireland, aged 16 to 25, visited Hungary and learned about how legislation in that country has improved the rights and quality of life of deaf people.[3] Following the visit, they headed to Stormont to meet with members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to demand better support for sign language and improved access to services.[3]

Funding

In 2002, the Northern Ireland Youth Deaf Association was one of 62 projects in Northern Ireland to receive funding from the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.[18]

In 2015, NIDYA received a grant of €25,000 from Erasmus+, the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport.[19] The grant was for its project with SINOSZ, the youth group in Hungary.[19]

In 2016, Action Deaf Youth received a grant of £675,304 from the Big Lottery Fund's Supporting Families programme, for its five-year project, "Supporting Families of Deaf Children through Active Play".[20][2]

Prior to Brexit, Action Deaf Youth was a recipient of a grant from the European Social Fund (ESF) for its employability programme, "Supporting Deaf Young People Into Employment".[2][21]

In 2022, 55 barristers from the Bar Library of Northern Ireland raised £16,000 for Action Deaf Youth, through their participation in 11 relay teams during the Belfast City Marathon.[22]

References
  1. "Action Deaf Youth Dinner". Ulster Tatler. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  2. Scott, Sarah (17 October 2017). "Check out how this charity is helping deaf young people across Northern Ireland". BelfastLive. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. "Young Deaf people demand change after Hungarian visit". British Council. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  4. "Home". Action Deaf Youth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  5. "Helping Hands' support via power firm's staff initiative". Larne Times. 21 April 2022. ProQuest 2652966798. Retrieved 18 September 2022 – via ProQuest.
  6. McBurney, Malachy (11 November 2013). "Helping our children who can't hear". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  7. "History". Action Deaf Youth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  8. McAleese, Deborah (28 November 2006). "Centenary award for deaf columnist". Belfast Telegraph. ProQuest 337296811. Retrieved 18 September 2022 – via ProQuest.
  9. "Obituary: Tom Ferguson". British Deaf News. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  10. Foy, Marie (28 November 2001). "Ulster's deaf 'facing life of isolation' ; New report highlights segregation for young". Belfast Telegraph. ProQuest 337109039. Retrieved 18 September 2022 – via ProQuest.
  11. University of Ulster press release - Northern Ireland's Deaf Youth Isolated and Exploited - UU report]
  12. "Early Childhood". Action Deaf Youth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  13. "Early Childhood – Sign camps for deaf children and siblings". Action Deaf Youth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  14. "Early Childhood – Play Therapy for Deaf Children". Action Deaf Youth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  15. "Youth". Action Deaf Youth. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  16. Doherty, Caroline. "Action Deaf Youth". CommunityNI. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  17. "Action Deaf Youth support for school leavers | Controlled Schools Support Council". www.csscni.org.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  18. "Millions to aid youth projects". The Belfast News Letter. 4 September 2002. ProQuest 324690015. Retrieved 18 September 2022 – via ProQuest.
  19. "Irish FA get its kicks with Euro cash boost". Belfast Telegraph. 26 May 2015. ProQuest 1683031648. Retrieved 22 September 2022 – via ProQuest.
  20. "Action Deaf Youth supports families of deaf children through Active Play project". The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  21. Nuttall, Geoff (12 November 2020). "ESF Users Briefing on Future Replacement of ESF Funding Post-Brexit". NICVA. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  22. McGonagle, Suzanne (11 May 2022). "Barristers from across NI raise over £16,000 to help deaf children and young people". The Irish News. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
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