With our research revealing over two thirds of deaf people have experienced negative behaviours and attitudes in every-day life, we are urging the public to help drive a major step forward in deaf awareness.
40,000 deaf aware people – and counting
Over 40,000 people have already joined our ‘It does matter’ campaign, which helps individuals play an active role in breaking down barriers faced by deaf people by offering free communication tips and resources.
Now, we are calling on even more people to get involved and make a difference by helping the campaign reach 50,000 participants.
The difference deaf awareness makes
RNID Ambassador, writer, actress and broadcaster, Sam Baines, said:
When people are deaf aware, it makes a huge difference. I remember being on a job, we were on a film set, and there was someone with me who just repeated a couple of things that they thought I might have missed. And it helped so much because it meant that I was part of the conversation.
Also, when someone was facing away saying something, they turned to me and repeated what they’d said so I could see their mouth clearly and lip read. It meant that I was included, and I felt like part of the team. Being deaf-aware isn’t just important at work, it’s important all the time.”
In this 2-minute video, Sam explains more about the impact it has when people are deaf aware.
What the research shows
Our research reveals that over half (54%) of people who are deaf or have hearing loss have been told “it doesn’t matter…” by someone when they asked them to repeat something they missed.
However, our research also found that there is often a lack of public awareness of hearing loss and deafness. As a result, people can simply lack the confidence and knowledge to communicate effectively.
Bridging communication gaps together
Our ‘It does matter’ campaign aims to redress the balance and help break down the communication barriers, challenges and misconceptions faced by people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
Frankie Garforth, Head of Inclusion at RNID, said:
A lack of deaf awareness can have significant impact on individuals. Yet we know most people genuinely want to get it right when communicating with someone who has hearing loss – they’re just not always sure where to start.
‘It does matter’ is the perfect way to empower yourself. With just a few simple changes, you can make a huge difference. In fact, over 80% of people who’ve already signed-up reported feeling more confident when communicating with someone with hearing loss.
It really does make a difference, so why not join the 40,000 who are already on that journey. Sign up today, and together we can make sure no one is ever left out of the conversation.”
