Background information about your organisation – how long has it been established, what services you offer, what’s your catchment area?
Registered Charity, est. 1971.
deafPLUS, formerly Breakthrough Trust (Deaf-Hearing Integration), was established in 1971 as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee to encourage integration between deaf and hearing people in all areas of life. Our objectives are as follows:
Promoting Independence – Helping deaf and visually impaired people to choose equipment that will help them in their daily routines, and also help keep them safe. Providing information, advocacy and advice that facilitates their full participation in society.
Developing Potential – Supporting clients into employment / their own businesses, and helping those already in employment to further develop their careers and prospects. Providing skills training and volunteering opportunities.
Promoting Wellbeing – Providing community, social and cultural opportunities to overcome isolation. Providing health workshops and materials.
Promoting Social Change and Understanding – Working to improve awareness of deaf and visually impaired people’s needs. Working with key decision makers to ensure that barriers to the achievement of social and economic potential are dismantled.
Delivered from 8 offices across the UK, we provide the following services:
- Information and Advice
- Advocacy
- Employment
- Reablement
- Lipreading classes
- Health & Wellbeing
A BSL Advice Helpline was recently launched to support deaf people in England with the following advice:
- Welfare benefits including PIP
- Housing
- Money and debt advice
- Immigration
- Employment
- Education
- Advice on access to services
In addition, deafPLUS has launched a new community service:
Personal Assistant (PA) support – We are part of the YOUchooseconsortium. We are recruiting a dedicated specialist team of PA’s who enjoy supporting clients in various ways to help a client become more independent with communication, living in the community and personal matters.
Why you want to be involved in the YOUchoose consortium
With our experience of providing Information & Advice and Employment Services to the community spanning 45 years, we are excited to launch the next chapter of our work to encourage independence. As a deaf-led organisation, our work revolves around the service users and having identified a gap in their provision, YOUchoose is the next provision in bridging the gap.
Having delivered services as part of mainstream consortiums, deafPLUS are excited about delivering YOUchoose as part of a deaf consortium. This exciting way forward will enable a group of deaf organisations to pool expertise and pave the way for future opportunities.
What’s your vision for the future of YOUchoose?
To launch YOUchoose across the Country reaching out to those who need this vital service.
To branch out to other community services as part of a consortium where there is demonstratable need.
DEAF PLUS WEBSITE ADDRESS
Web: www.deafplus.org
Email: info@deafplus.org
Telephone/ Text: 020 7790 6147
Facebook: deafPLUS70
Twitter: @deafPLUS_UK