Name: Deafblind UK Conference 2024 - Standing out and fitting in
Start: 03/10/2024 08:00 AM +00:00
End: 03/10/2024 04:00 PM +00:00

Deafblind UK's Nikki Morris and Robert Nolan open the Deafblind UK Conference 2024, sharing personal insights about standing out and fitting in.&nbsp;
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo of a hand waving against a black background. Text reads: Welcome.&nbsp;

Tonicha Frith

Rod Cullen

Nikki Morris

Robert Nolan

Naomi Dainty

Tom Mould (RSLI)

Bibi DaLacey-Mould (RSLI)

Jackie Dennis (RSLI)

Hayley Brown (RSLI)

Lesley Weatherson (Lipspeaker)

Mandy Allen (Lipspeaker)

Laura Bradbury (Lipspeaker)

Lisa Guilford (Lipspeaker)

Kirsty Last (Lipspeaker)

Amy Miller (RSLI)

Liz Duncan Deafblind UK

Barry-Alan Davey (RSLI)

Welcome

Deafblind UK's CEO talks to Lord David Blunkett about standing out and fitting in throughout his political journey.&nbsp;
Having served in the Shadow Cabinet under the Labour leadership of John Smith and Tony Blair, he joined the incoming government in 1997, and served for 8 years in Tony Blair&rsquo;s Cabinet. He held the posts of Education and Employment Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.&nbsp; After leaving government, David worked with a number of key charities, as well as advising on issues as diverse as cyber security, education and skills. As a former board member of the National Citizens Service Trust, he has had a long-standing interest in citizenship education and the wellbeing of young people. &nbsp;More recently, David led on the production of a major report on the future of education and skills for the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer. He has a number of advisory posts including being an adviser on public policy and internal understanding of government and policy development to DLA Piper LLP; and to Heathrow Ltd in respect of their Sustainable Economic Growth Taskforce.
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo the Houses of Parliament clock tower. Text reads: In conversation: Lord David Blunkett.&nbsp;&nbsp;

David Blunkett

Carolyn Greig

Option 1 | In conversation with Lord David Blunkett

The talk presents the worldwide network of Deafblind International (DbI), taking a stand for the need of collaboration across organisations, countries, cultures and continents, embracing diversity and promoting equity and inclusion. As an example, the talk introduces DbI's Global Education Campaign.
Image description: Green option 2 session banner with a photo of a hand holding a globe surround by chalk written education themed doodles. Text reads: Standing out in Connecting: The Worldwide Network of Deafblind International and Our Global Education Campaign.&nbsp;

Mirko Baur

Robert Grew

Eileen Church (Lipspeaker)

Option 2 | Standing out in connecting: The worldwide network of Deafblind International and our global education campaign

This two part session explores the development and delivery of services and support which enable people living with deafblindness to live the life they choose. &nbsp; Natalie explores how her role as a support worker is affected by the perceptions of others, the balance of power and, most importantly, the wishes of the individual she supports.
Stella will explore how making Deafblindness stand out as a unique disability has enabled innovative service development in her borough and how they continue to fight for wider awareness and acceptance of Deafblindness.
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo of a pair of hands holding a paper cut out of a head with a smiley face. Text reads: Services that stand out, mean I can fit in.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Natalie Bowers

Stella Kamangirira

Option 1 | Services that stand out, mean I can fit in

Sian is a sighted and hearing volunteer for Deafblind UK, Roger is a Volunteer who lives with Deafblindness. In this session they share their experiences as volunteers, explore the value of volunteering, both to individuals and to Deafblind UK, and discuss how being a volunteer contributes to them personally.
Image description: Green option 2 session banner with an image of a digital collage of an old camera in mixed multi colours. Text reads: Volunteers voices in the deafblind community.&nbsp;

Sian Elvin

Option 2 | Volunteer voices in the deafblind community

In this session join Chris Bailey from the HSBC Group Digital Experience and Accessibility Team as he talks about HSBC&rsquo;s ambition to become the worlds most digitally accessible bank.
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo of a pink porcelin pig money box and stacks of coins. Text reads: HSBC - Let's talk accessibility.

Chris Bailey

Option 1 | HSBC: Let's talk accessibility

Emma and Annette both have Usher syndrome, both experienced a late diagnosis at formative times in their lives. They share their strikingly similar experiences and explore how the difference in their ages and the support services available have impacted on them individually.
Image description: Green option 2 session banner with a photo which is looking down at a pair of feet wearing black hightop trainers standing on a pavement . Text reads: My life, my way.&nbsp;

Annette Bodsworth

Option 2 | My life, my way 

In this two part session, Oriel Davies is a small gallery in mid Wales which, in partnership with the local authority Sensory Team senior Practitioner, has pioneered a unique approach to access to art for people living with deafblindness in the area. This work has seen conversations started, Art appreciation developed and friendships kindled. Then Ava, a young, successful award-winning artist who has held a number of exhibitions and seen her art used in print many times, she will explore how being an artist is a fundamental part of her identity and how deafblindness impacts this.
Their staff team/ volunteers are so incredibly supportive, encouraging and patient with individuals who have attended the specifically designed art sessions at the gallery. The team have amended the way they work to adapt for people with a Sensory loss and are always thinking outside of the box. They have provided tactile drawings and interactive displays especially for these sessions and are always looking for more ways to interact effectively. The result was that people who have a dual sensory loss got creative and talking &nbsp;- a perfect outcome! &nbsp;
The gallery recently hosted a Sensory loss information session and that welcoming warmth was extended to all who attended. We hope to work together again to run future sessions as we do not have a demonstration resource center, this is an excellent alternative.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo of a mixed media artwork of a sheep. Text reads: Arts and health working together.&nbsp;

Ava Joliffe

Kate Morgan-Clare

Susan Davies

Deborah Dalton

Philippa Bradbury Deafblind UK

Option 1 | Arts and health working together

Financial technologies, including online and mobile banking, can present significant challenges for Deafblind individuals, making it difficult and sometimes impossible to use these technologies if they&rsquo;re not accessible or if there&rsquo;s a mismatch between the system&rsquo;s expectations and the user&rsquo;s abilities. Whilst different academic and industry-led initiatives have started to explore potential ways of addressing these accessibility challenges, we currently lack a clear understanding of areas requiring further attention to support the development of inclusive banking experiences for Deafblind people.&nbsp;
In this talk, Arthur will present recent research findings revealing current banking practices amongst Deafblind people in the UK and abroad, highlighting key areas where further work is required for making banking technologies more accessible. Arthur will conclude with wider considerations for the development of more accessible and inclusive financial and personal experiences.
Image description: Green option 2 session banner with an AI image of hands typing on a keyboard with digital icons floating. Text reads: Understanding Online Banking Practices Amongst Deafblind People: Challenges and Opportunities.&nbsp;

Arthur Theil

Option 2 | Understanding online banking practices amongst deafblind people: Challenges and opportunities 

Asif will discuss the role that faith plays in developing our personal identities, and will explore the paths and barriers to accessing faith as someone who is deafblind. Whilst Asif is unable to take questions live today, he is happy for anyone to email him with any questions about today's session: asif.hussain@bradnet.org.uk.&nbsp;
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo a pile of stacked pebbles against a glistening background. Text reads: In conversation: Faith Unlocked: Personal journeys and paths to accessing belief.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Asif Hussain

Option 1 | Faith Unlocked: Personal journeys and paths to accessing belief

Asia shares the journey that led to her diagnosis of Usher syndrome, detailing the symptoms she experienced that ultimately led to investigation, and the diagnostic process. This diagnosis significantly impacted Asia's life, initially causing her to step away from a career in graphic design. However, Asia will discuss the shift in her mindset that empowered her to return to the profession she is passionate about.
Aisa will briefly outline the various responsibilities undertaken in her role as a graphic designer, a job title that may be misunderstood or be too vague to those outside of the industry. She will also delve into how her disability influences her daily work life and the strategies she utilises to overcome the challenges it presents.
Her goal is to offer insights into the lived experience of working within such a visual industry while deafblind, and to speak as living proof that life doesn&rsquo;t have to end after an Usher syndrome diagnosis.
Image description: Green option 2 session banner with a photo of typographic and grid layouts. Text reads: Life as deafbilnd graphic designer.&nbsp;

Asia-Jorden Alexander-Smith

Option 2 | Life as a deafblind graphic designer

Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo showing a scene and characters from a children's television programme. Text reads: The magic of play.&nbsp;
Rebecca will share her story her early years as a sighted child with hearing aids, to the diagnosis of Usher Type 2 at 17. She will journey through her years as a young adult, dropping out of school and embarking on a career at the BBC working in TV and online, followed by freelance writing for magazines and newspapers including the Guardian, Vogue and Marie Claire. All this time, Rebecca was interested in the way the cultural sphere represented disabled people and how these impacts self-esteem and attitudinal barriers.&nbsp; &nbsp; In 2015, after noticing the profound lack of disability representation in toys, Rebecca founded the global Toy Like Me campaign, making over images of popular toys to give them disabilities and taking high res images. The results went viral and were seen by millions. The industry were slow to respond so Rebecca set about creating the Channel 5 show, Mixmups, featuring disabled characters and standing proudly as the only disabled-led brand for pre-school children in the world.&nbsp;

Rebecca Atkinson

Option 1 | The magic of play

The UK lacks prevalence data on vision and hearing impairment and its causes within the population. The UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study (UKNEHS) has been designed to provide population-based data on met and unmet need and barriers to uptake of care among those aged 50 years and older, the sector of the population most affected by sensory impairment. The UKNEHS involves a pilot study involving two phases, a survey of sensory impairment among residents of care homes within an Integrated Care Board (ICB), and a randomly enumerated sample of people aged 50+ years from the community. Data collection for the care home study has recently completed and the population-based study is about to begin. The purpose is to measure the prevalence of vision and hearing impairment, caused by a range of conditions. Associations between dementia, social isolation and sensory impairment are well-recognised. If eye conditions are detected early enough and correctly managed, visual impairment and the risk of sight loss is reduced in most cases. Similarly, hearing loss has been shown as a marker of risk for dementia. Sensory impairments can contribute to cognitive, behavioural and psychological problems, increase the risk of falls, and decrease quality of life.&nbsp;
Image description: Green option 2 session banner with a photo of small wooden model people figures with thought bubbles above their heads. Text reads: The UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study (uknehs.org.uk): Protecting our nation's hearing and vision.

Rupert Bourne

Option 2 | The UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study (uknehs.org.uk): Protecting our nation's hearing and vision.

Deafblind UK's CEO, Nikki Morris, reflects on the talks and themes of the Deafblind UK Conference 2024.&nbsp;
Image description: Yellow option 1 session banner with a photo of a woman celebrating at the end of a race. Text reads: Closing remarks.&nbsp;

Agenda

Speakers.css-1453wb6{margin:0;font-size:1.4rem;font-weight:500;line-height:1.5;color:#333333;font-family:'Poppins',sans-serif;margin-left:0.8rem;}42 Speakers