St John WA supports National Week of Deaf People
St John WA is gearing up to support National Week of Deaf People on September 23, by raising awareness of the potentially life-saving benefits of providing Auslan interpreting services for patients and their families during emergencies.
National Week of Deaf People is celebrated annually, this year running from September 23 – 29, with the theme Sign Up for Sign Language Rights.
A crucial component of standing up for Sign Language Rights includes ensuring adequate access to interpreters and interpreting services, something St John WA (SJWA) has strived towards with its first-of-its-kind partnership with Convo Australia.
In January, SJWA became the first emergency service in Australia to provide Auslan interpreting services for the Deaf and hard of hearing community through the trailblazing partnership.
Convo Australia is Australia’s first dedicated on-demand Video Interpreting Service (VIS) that provides Auslan users access to National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) certified interpreters through video calls.
The service has been rolled out across SJWA emergency services and health teams to enhance the patient experience and improve quality of care.
This resource enables first responders, patients, and bystanders to access an interpreter anytime, from anywhere, to share vital information during emergencies.
Ambulance Paramedic Lauren D’Arcy said having access to interpreting services has helped to enhance equal care of patients in the community.
“Having interpreters allows us to provide culturally safe and appropriate care for Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients,” she said.
“We are very proud to be able to support equal access to ambulance care for members of the community who use sign language (Auslan) as their preferred language”
Learn more about Convo Australia and how their services are able to help bridge the gap between the hearing and Deaf and or Hard of Hearing community here.
There are daily themes for National Week of Deaf People, which those wishing to get involved in supporting the week and allyship initiatives can use as a guide for information and education.
The 2024 daily themes are:
- Monday, 23 September 2024 | International Day of Sign Languages: Sign Up For Sign Language Rights
- Tuesday, 24 September 2024 | Inclusive Education
- Wednesday, 25 September 2024 | Sign Language Advocacy
- Thursday, 26 September 2024 | Building Resilient Deaf Communities
- Friday, 27 September 2024 | Diversity in Deaf Communities
- Saturday, 28 September 2024 | Deaf Cultural Celebrations
- Sunday, 29 September 2024 | Investing in the Future of Deaf Communities
Learn more about the week and access resources here.
