The project focused on examining the situation of deaf graduates who are sign language users, employers and sign language interpreters to inform our end-goal, the production of research-informed training materials for these stakeholder groups within the national contexts of Ireland, Germany and the UK.
The findings showed that there is a trend of increased participation in higher education as a result of increased provision of sign language interpreters in this sphere (typically facilitated through disability legislation). As a result, more deaf signers are achieving higher-level qualifications and seek to enter the workforce in a range of professional roles. In turn, there is a commensurate increasing demand for interpreters to facilitate interactions in the workplace between deaf signers and their non-deaf, non-signing (hearing) counterparts. But there are on-going gaps in meeting the demands. Recommendations are made for employers and interpreters to ensure best practices for deaf people to access, maintain and progress their chosen employment.
Vlogs & blogs:
- Project wrap up May 2020: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2715
- May 2019: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2586
- October 2018: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2453
- May 2018: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2366
- December 2017: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2302
- November 2017: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2259
- Project kick-off January 2017: https://lifeinlincs.org/?p=2128
Publications:
Research report: http://www.designsproject.eu/assets/eu-benchmark-report.pdf
Sommer Lindsay, M., Cameron, A., & Napier, J. (2023). Deaf people in the workplace. In K. Strani & K. Pfeiffer (Eds.), Intercultural Issues in the Workplace: Leadership, Communication and Trust (pp.241-154). London: Palgrave.
Sheikh, H., Napier, J., Cameron, A., Leeson, L., Rathmann, C., Peters, C., Conama, J. B., & Moiselle, R. (2021). Supporting access to employment for deaf signers through research-informed training resources: the DESIGNS project. In G. De Clerck (Ed.), UNCRPD Implementation in Europe – a deaf perspective: Article 9: Access to information and communication. Brussels: European Union of the Deaf.
