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Deaf Youth in New Zealand

Deaf Youth in New Zealand. Project Energize. 3 main aims: to provide an insight of their well-being as a young deaf person. to identify what were the most important components in a course on deaf awareness and leadership, and

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Deaf Youth in New Zealand

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  1. Deaf Youth in New Zealand

  2. Project Energize • 3 main aims: • to provide an insight of their well-being as a young deaf person. • to identify what were the most important components in a course on deaf awareness and leadership, and • to investigate the best practices for developing programme in deaf awareness and leadership.

  3. Research: Participants • Questionnaire: 69 Focus Groups: 56 Total of 125. • Location: Mostly from Auckland and Christchurch. • Ethnicity: Mostly NZ European with few Maori, Asian and Pacific. • Two age groups: 12-17 year olds and 18-24 year olds.

  4. A question about hearing loss • 5 of 12 – 17 year olds didn’t know and 1 from 18 – 24 year olds. • Across all ages, most are profoundly deaf. • Most wore hearing aids and some use cochlear implants.

  5. Communication method • 12 - 17 year olds - most 'talk only' and second most common 'sign or talk (not at the same time). • 18-24 year olds - most 'sign or talk (not at the same time) and second most common 'sign only'.

  6. Occupations • 12 - 17 year olds: Most were mainstreamed (indiviually mainstreamed) • 18 - 24 year olds: Most were at high school/University with some in employment/unemployment.

  7. 3 key themes 1. Difficulties associated with being deaf 2. Issues and access 3. Interest in deaf awareness and leadership courses

  8. Difficulties associated with being deaf - Identity • 12 - 17 year olds • Different identities across their level of deafness: • Most profoundly deaf viewed themselves as Deaf, however there were some who thought themselves as hard of hearing, hearing impaired and severely deaf. • Others showed a mixture of identities in 'severe', 'moderate', 'mild', and 'I don't know'.

  9. How12 - 17 year olds feel about themselves being deaf/hearing impaired? • Top 3 most common statements.... 24 out of 48 questionnaire respondents • 'I feel happy about being deaf/hearing impaired‘ • 'I wish I can be hearing‘ • 'I find hard to make friends‘ 12 out of 48.

  10. Focus groups - their views: • Christchurch: • Most feel happy but many feel frustrated by people's negative attitudes, barriers with accessing information (sports, school and general) and feeling left out. Some were bullied. • Auckland: • Most enjoy meeting and chatting with their Deaf friends. However, it seemed they did not have hobbies or participating in sports/activities.

  11. 18 – 20 year olds views • A mixture of negative and positive feelings: • 'Different from hearing people, they don't understand us' • 'Happy to be deaf but can be down at times when people don’t understand me when I sign - very frustrating' • Research: Transition from school to the wider society poses more challenging for deaf young people.

  12. 21- 24 year olds views • Mostly thought positive with some negative. • 'Proud to be Deaf' • 'I don't like being deaf because other people pick on me for being deaf, and other deaf people don't like me because I have a cochlear implant' • Research: those who are on the 'fence' between hearing and deaf worlds are more likely to have lower confidence and self-esteem.

  13. Research suggested that young deaf people, especially in the mainstreamed settings, did not have enough contact with other deaf youth and this could reduce their chances of developing a strong Deaf identity. (Bat-Chava, 1994).

  14. 2. Issues and Access The 5 main issues were: • Social access • Communication • Hearing people’s views • Access to information • Confidence

  15. Social Access • 24 out of 48 of those aged 12 - 17 year olds did not go to any groups at all. • 9/48 attended hearing groups. • Only 2 attended deaf groups. • Others did not say.

  16. 3 most important information and advice • 12 – 17 year olds: • Career • Further study • Deaf clubs, activities and camps. • 18 – 24 year olds: • Deaf clubs, activities and camps • International Deaf youth • Meeting D/deaf young people.

  17. Deaf Aotearoa's Deaf Way Report (2010) • "The need for young deaf people to meet, socialise and gain an understanding of being Deaf is widely considered by the literature and review participants crucial in their development of positive self-esteem as well as language." • Over 80% of participants want to meet young deaf people.

  18. Interest in deaf awareness and leadership courses • Interested to attend a course to learn new skills, fun activities and meet young deaf people? • YES! • 77% 12 - 17 year olds • 90% 18 - 24 year olds

  19. 9 out of 16 those who 'talk only' did not want to meet young deaf people. • NDCS found that mildly & moderately young deaf people who were individually mainstreamed and who were oral wanted NDCS to create more activities for DEAF and HEARING young people.

  20. However..... • Most from the Focus Groups shared the same belief that deaf youth, regardless of communication method or type of their audiological aid/s, to be brought together. • They believe they could learn more from each other as they share similar experiences (barriers).

  21. What would they like to learn on a course? 12 – 17 year olds.

  22. What would they like to learn on a course? 18 – 24 year olds.

  23. Interested to attend a leadership course? • YES! • 33 out of 48 12 - 17 year olds (some who were not interested felt they were too young) • 15 out of 21 18 -24 year olds and they would be interested to teach deaf/HI youth how to organise and lead activities for deaf/HI youth. However many of them felt they needed to learn leadership skills.

  24. A summary of recommendations • Appoint a Youth Co-ordinator for Deaf Youth NZ • Improve a good working relationship with deaf-related organisations • Develop a good working relationship with hearing organisations • Build stronger networks with Deaf Education Centres and mainstreamed schools • Establish Deaf Youth NZ Camp • Establish ‘My Journey’ course for deaf youth aged 12 – 17 • Promote Deaf Aotearoa’s ‘DEAFinitely Stepping Ahead’ programme to all young deaf people

  25. Recommendations... • Establish contact with Deaf and hearing impaired students in New Zealand • Increase the social interaction between mainstreamed deaf youth and deaf youth from the Deaf community. • Promote International Deaf Youth • Establish Deaf Youth NZ Website • Establish Leadership course for deaf youth aged 16 – 30 • A group of potential young deaf ‘leaders’ to work with the Youth Co-ordinator to establish a working group so they can be part of, influence and be involved in decision making to represent Deaf youth in New Zealand.

  26. Any questions? I hope you enjoy this presentation! Hand waves.

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