Deaf Awareness Week 2021
As the national Coronavirus restrictions begin to allow us to meet in groups of 6 outdoors, has it crossed your mind that one of your group could have some level of hearing loss?
The UK is home to approximately 11 million people with a hearing impairment - this makes it the second most common disability in the UK. About 1 in 6 adults are affected by hearing loss; many of whom also have tinnitus, a debilitating condition which affects about 1 in 10 adults.
Deaf Awareness Week is 3rd - 9th May this year and it aims to promote the positive aspects of deafness, social inclusion and raise awareness of a huge range of organisations that support deaf people, their family and friends – ourselves being one of them!
At least 4.4 million people with hearing loss are of working age and only around 65% of those are employed. This is significantly lower than the employment rate of people with no long-term health issue or disability which hovers around the 80% mark. The unemployment of such individuals and the productivity that they could bring is estimated to cost the UK economy £25 billion per year and if nothing is done to address lower employment rates, this figure could increase to £38.6bn per year by 2031.
This employment gap can be greatly reduced by supporting these individuals with additional barriers into work and increasing employers’ understanding that these barriers can be so easily overcome. There are easy to implement reasonable adjustments out there that can make working more accessible for someone with hearing loss – it really shouldn’t be a barrier to providing sustainable employment. One easy adjustment could be as simple as adjusting the layout of a meeting room and using good lighting to help everyone see each other clearly. This is not only important for lipreading but could actually benefit all staff enabling them to communicate more clearly. As everyone is different, the adjustments required will vary. If more expensive workplace adjustments are needed, don’t fear the price tag of providing this vital support – the government’s Access to Work scheme is designed to help organisations cover the cost and Ways into Work support the job seeker and employer to navigate that process.
If you are an employer, you can help make a difference by increasing your awareness of hearing loss and other barriers to employment. Ways into Work support employers' to access a relatively untapped talent pool, develop and implement processes to provide equal opportunities, as well as provide advice and training around the benefits of a diverse workforce and what adjustments can be made. Read more about what you are missing out on here.
For those with hearing loss and other disabilities or disadvantages who seek sustainable paid employment, we provide support in the journey to employment. We enable access to a range of opportunities, apprenticeships, supported internships, part-time and full-times roles. If you are a disadvantaged job seeker, find out more about where we operate and the varying eligibility criteria for our supported employment projects here.
Statistics and figures have been sourced from Hearing Link.
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