Day Two – Sustainable economic opportunities for Deaf People
“As of 2011, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) states that approximately 80% of persons with disabilities, including deaf people, are of working age. Reports we have from around the world show underemployment and unemployment is high within deaf communities. Accessing a fair and inclusive labour market with equal working conditions and salary as their peers without disabilities is a step toward deaf peoples’ inclusion in their communities and more equal societies.”
https://vimeo.com/731115749/053f9da2f8
Today is about sustainable economic opportunities for ALL D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities people in their daily lives around the countries. Unfortunately, not all D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities have an equal opportunity in the workplace and income to pay the bills, mortgages, rent, and many other needs. I was one of the lucky people who have two part times jobs, the EGL (Enabling Good Lives) Leadership Waikato board and joined one of the Reference Groups by the Government agencies recently. One of my jobs is under the Social Service, and I see many homeless people/families, disabled people struggling to earn income for their family, pay rent and buy food by visiting us. Yes, I have a small number of D/deaf people, and D/deaf with disabilities regularly keep in touch with me through pop-in chat and video chat for their needs.
To my understanding, there is a slight high above the average of D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities struggling to find work in New Zealand, and I do not have the data here yet. Finding a job for them is a big challenge due to their lack of experience having as a Deaf person to work in the workplace, such as no idea how to communicate through sign language, gestures, or writing down. I found several jobs for them where Workbridge Job Brokers or WINZ (Work and Incomes) Job Brokers can not find jobs. Living on benefits (WINZ) is the lowest and most pitiful income leaving them nothing for food, power, transport such as petrol or a flashing device around the home, but they will have to pay back each week.
We need to provide a training course on raising awareness in communicating through sign language, getting the best devices in the workplace where business and upskill training course in any workplace such as engineering, stocktaking, teacher aides, or support workers. We would not accept discrimination from other workplaces because we have the skills to work anywhere.
Pay salary varies from one workplace to another than in developing countries; they get less income a month, not a week or a fortnight.
For example, the person I have supported and kept in touch with over many years as a family friend is Jacek, who has had three different disabilities (Deaf, Cerebral Palsy and speech impaired) since birth. His late father thought of Jacek’s future when he left Kelston Deaf School. Jacek’s parents do not want Jacek placed in the Sheltered Workshop straight from Kelston Deaf School, Auckland, to Hamilton. Jacek’s father spoke to several friends through Church and his workplace at Fonterra. One of the mates recommended the Farming Manufacturing and Assembly Plant. The Farming Manufacturing and Assembly Plant found Jacek a job by working together, finding the right equipment for him to sit down on, and establishing the digital computer allowing engraver stainless pumps. Jacek has worked at his Manufacturing Plant – Farming Equipment and Pump Services for over 51 years. He is 71 years old and stopped working nearly two years ago due to COVID-19, but his job remains at work, meaning he is not retiring.
Several Deaf farmers were working on dairy farms around New Zealand, and I know one Deaf man who used to work at the Ruakura Research Centre and Farms in Hamilton. This man’s father found him a job on the farm. He is no longer working there because he found it tiring, long hours and getting older. The Ruakura Research Centre and Farms staff know my late grandfather, other family members and myself. They used to hire me as a data entry for logging data records from many farms around New Zealand, such as how many cows, milk volume, stocks and many other documents within four months of deadlines. The additional data entry staff were not quick enough to complete logging and inputting records before the deadline. Yes, I received paid allowance.
https://gosignlanguage.com/the-history-of-kodak-200-deaf-employees/
https://www.npr.org/2019/01/13/673250200/deaf-and-unemployed-taking-matters-into-their-own-hands
Yesterday Sign Languages in Education – video link https://vimeo.com/732006667/400b5c8b13
