“Deaf communities are diverse, intersectional communities. Today, we celebrate our richly diverse deaf communities and the many ways of living and being in the world that our diverse deaf communities share. Among these identities are gender, age, sexuality, linguistic preferences, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability, and religion. Governments and deaf communities must recognize and promote the intersectional nature of deaf communities within services, projects, and advocacy work. Deaf communities and deaf organisations must be inclusive of all deaf peoples in their countries. Together, we can build strong communities respectful and inclusive of all deaf people.” https://vimeo.com/731437378/6977578ce5

Enabling Good Lives – https://www.enablinggoodlives.co.nz/enabling-good-lives-sites/enabling-good-lives-waikato/

Note it is not just EGL Waikato, we have EGL Christchurch and Mana Whaikaha EGL Central. The rest of New Zealand will follow once the plan runs smoothly through rollout.

Deaf Churches

Workplaces – Jean’s works

Several organisations support and work together within the Deaf community in New Zealand, such as Deaf Aotearoa, National Foundation for the Deaf, Life Unlimited, and CCS Disability Action, all People. These organisations are funded by the Government and Funding Organisations/philanthropic funding. My workplace is lucky, and we are linked to the Methodist Trust and Auckland City Mission. Their support with funding by every person, community group, company, Trust, and government entity who supports the Mission’s mahi through offering cash, goods and time.   Anyone support means the Mission can respond to people needing our support, whenever and however that might be. The churches for the Deaf in New Zealand seek funding from other organisation and their own church body trust board, e.g. the incorporation of the Unite Church Trust, the Catholic Charitable Trust Board or the Methodist Church Trust Board, while the Trust board seek funding in other places and their membership, and parishioners. But it is not easy because funding can not give out if it is fit in the religion category area.

Deaf clubs across New Zealand declined due to a lack of attention, moving to another local, an increase of young Deaf people not interested in the club and finding it difficult to attract more Deaf young people to join. The oldest Deaf Society is in Christchurch (1922), and the second Deaf Society is in Auckland (1932). Recently the Christchurch Deaf Society celebrated its one hundred years this year.

In Waikato, we work with the City Council, Advisory Groups, Health Advisory group, agencies and other organisations to ensure we support advocacy for their sign as the voice to be loud, learning from us in the Deaf community. But we need more work to encourage other Deaf people to become good leaderships and do the right thing when working together.