{"id":12,"date":"2020-04-17T17:39:41","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T17:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafstudiestrust.org\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2026-04-03T20:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T19:05:00","slug":"news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/deafstudiestrust.org\/?page_id=12","title":{"rendered":"News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Deaf History<\/strong> (2026 onwards)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We have begun work on the extensive archives of materials which have inherited from the University of Bristol Centre for Deaf Studies (up to 2017) and from the Centre for Deaf People in King Square (up to 2016). We have also been fortunate in being able to work on the school records for Elmfield School (which has moved location in 2023. Finally, Bristol Central Library and Bristol Records Office has another collection of public documents linking to activities of and for deaf people. All these are in addition to the materials accumulated over the 40 years of the Deaf Studies Trust. The analysis will take some time but we expect to release themed materials and old publications as it becomes realistic to do so. We realise that older people are becoming older and without them, memories will be lost. We have started to invite older members of the community to tell us stories of their experiences .. which we can analyse and make available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deaf in the Covid Aftermath<\/strong> (2023-2024)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Lottery funded project with the Gloucestershire Deaf Association and the Centre for Deaf people in Bristol, began in February 2023. This was designed to locate and interview a representative sample of Deaf people from age 20 to 80 years to discover how the deaf community is functioning now in the aftermath of Covid. We suspected major issues and a significant generational gap. However, changes of direction in Gloucester and difficulties with data collection in Bristol meant that the initial stages over-ran the agreed timetable, and the project could not be completed. More detail in text form here<\/a><\/strong> and in BSL here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deaf Schools Athletics Competition (July 2023 & 2024)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\"race<\/p>\n

Yate Adaptive and Para Athletics group together with the Deaf Studies Trust set up a regional Deaf Schools Athletics competition on 11th<\/sup> July at Yate Outdoor Sports complex.\u00a0\u00a0This attracted 65 participants from Bristol Schools and mainstream schools in Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire.\u00a0\u00a0There also individual entries by parents of deaf children in different educational settings.\u00a0\u00a0Participants were from 6 years old up to 15 years.\u00a0\u00a0The events offered were all the recognisable ones from regular England Athletics and Quad Kids and were managed by UKA Yate and Bristol officials.<\/p>\n

The significance of the event is that deaf sport is not part of UK Para Athletics (nor England Athletics) and there is very little opportunity for deaf children to take part in mainstream sports due to their different communications skills.\u00a0\u00a0That applies not only at mainstream club level but also within the mainstream schools as well.<\/p>\n

In order to support the process, we offered weekly sessions at the track for the Bristol deaf schools.\u00a0\u00a0On Tuesdays, leading up to the event we coached around 30 deaf kids each week.\"long<\/p>\n

The individual results in running, jumping and throwing events were provided back to the schools but there is no place to report them generally nor Power of Ten entry point.<\/p>\n

Where it was possible to match performance against the England Athletics PB awards (the nine level scale) we found:<\/p>\n

One star:\u00a0\u00a012 performances<\/p>\n

2 star:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a028\u00a0\u00a0performances<\/p>\n

3 star:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a038 performances<\/p>\n

Bronze:\u00a0\u00a012 performances<\/p>\n

Silver:\u00a0\u00a08 performances<\/p>\n

Gold:\u00a0\u00a09\u00a0\u00a0performances
Elite:\u00a0\u00a02 performances<\/p>\n

\"mini-vortex<\/p>\n

This is more an indication of potential \u2013 rather than absolute performance on the day but is illustrative of the physical possibilities for deaf young people \u2013 who are by and large physically able.\u00a0\u00a0We adjusted all running events by using flags and no starting gun.\u00a0\u00a0Instructions were relayed directly in British Sign Language or using interpreters.<\/p>\n

Positive feedback all round .. usually indicating \u201csee you next year\u201d as the desire to repeat this initiative to offer access to athletics.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deaf Be-Friends<\/span> (2021)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

(BSL Version here <\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinking about the new deaf community \u2026 at home, not at the club or the pub\u2026.  Do you have someone to sign to?  Is there someone you can reach out to?
Are you fed up waiting for organisations to support deaf people who have to stay at home?
We are.
It is time for deaf people to take back control.
Don\u2019t wait \u2026
Use your contact list of your friends\u2026
Maybe already on your smartphone.
Common sense\u2026 Start calling them.  Make contact.  How are you?  How is the family?
Just obvious chat.  Makes everyone feel better and safer\u2026
If every deaf person calls even just four people \u2026 not just local \u2026.anywhere in the country \u2026 it will have a huge impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text them
Facetime them
Skype them
Whatsapp them

Just do it
Today
And keep doing it until you can start to meet up again.

Lots of people are lonely
Lots of people live alone
Lots live with hearing people who can’t sign
Just Call
And soon the calls will come back to you

It is a new<\/strong> deaf community

Just do it! DEAF BE-FRIENDS!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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