Promoting Deaf Awareness with our Colleagues

How did this initiative come about?

After a training session at the Bicton Heath Food store, several colleagues expressed interest in learning more about our community partners and their involvement. In response, we decided to organise a session for all colleagues to participate in.

What happened during the session?

Participants had the chance to learn basic sign language and gain insight into the daily challenges faced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. As a Disability Confident employer, the training emphasised how we can ensure equal participation and access for everyone, free from communication barriers they may face in the workplace.

Following colleague feedback, how have we supported colleagues?

Listening to colleagues, we have now made available additional options for the headband, e.g. ear pieces and neckbands. This will enable colleagues to adapt how they will wear the headset if they have hearing aids, glasses etc. These options below are readily available to be ordered now via Service Now if required.

Also, if any colleagues have a T-Coil Hearing Aid, the team can purchase additional hardware that will have communication routed through to their hearing aid via Bluetooth, with no need for a headset to be worn at all. We have the infrastructure for this in place now. This solution however is only available on hearing aids that have Bluetooth built into them. If a colleague wishes to look at this option, then please reach out to the Safe Stores team here.

Meet our Deaf Awareness community partners

Since 2023, we have raised an incredible £11,500 for our partners Zebra Access and Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA).

• Zebra Access is a deaf-led charity dedicated to creating better opportunities for deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing individuals through confidence-building activities and life skills workshops.

• Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA) helps people live confidently with their deafness at home, socially, and at work, providing support with hearing aids, specialist equipment, employment assistance, and one-on-one advocacy for British Sign Language users.

4 ways to support colleagues, members & customers who are hard of hearing or deaf:

1. All colleagues can learn sign language basics in i.Learn. Find the course here.

2. Become an Inclusion Ally, by emailing DiversityandInclusion@midcounties.coop.

3. Colleagues experiencing hearing loss can also investigate whether they may be entitled to workplace support here.

4. Mention we work with Deaf related fundraising partners, Zebra Access and Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA), in our Regional Communities.

 A big thank you to our partners for their incredible work and to our colleagues for taking part to raise awareness.