The Support Group for Deaf Persons is hosting a week of awareness exercises including a sign language workshop this week.
According to a press release from the Support Group this year’s activities are organised by the Support Group for Deaf Persons of the Guyana Community Based Rehabilitation and the Guyana Deaf Mission under the theme ‘Deaf Shine’.
During the week there will be a public information campaign to educate people about deafness along with awareness training and sensitisation for groups and organisations.
Twelve volunteers from the Support Group will be hosting lectures in communicating with deaf persons at both public and private schools and the Guyana Police Force. On Wednesday the Changed Life Deaf Church is offering a workshop in Sign Language which is open to the public. This session will be held at the Guyana Deaf Mission Headquarters at Lot 8 Vlissengen Road from 5pm. On Thursday, the Guyana Deaf Mission will host a workshop for churches interested in starting a deaf ministry. This session will also be held at the Deaf Mission headquarters at 5pm.
The agenda also includes a Fun Day at the National Park on Saturday from 10am. There will be games for persons of all ages. It has been set as “a time for the Deaf and Hearing communities to have a great time together,” the release said.
Since its establishment in 2005, the Support Group has been offering deaf people new opportunities for access to education, information services, family life and employment. Its successes include training hearing and deaf persons to be teachers of sign language and literacy; training Sign Language Interpreters and establishing an interpreter service; providing support for the families of deaf persons, particularly helping parents of deaf children to learn to sign. Similar programmes are offered to employers and co-workers of companies that have staff who are deaf. The Group has also provided education and skills training for deaf persons and has aided the Guyana Police Force in investigating assaults against deaf persons.
The Group has also worked in partnership with the Education Ministry, the National Commission on disability, VSO-Guyana, UNICEF and USAID.
