Published on: 8th March 2023
Click To Watch Eva’s Story (YouTube)
In the second installment of our NDIS video series, we chat to Eva from Townsville about how accessing the NDIS has strengthened her relationship with her family. Here’s what she had to say:
I was born in 2000 with no actual awareness that I was deaf so it was a very big surprise for my family when I found out I was deaf when I was five.
Communication is a very big thing that I miss. I miss between every second and third word so yeah I don’t get full sentences so it does make communication very difficult for me.
“NDIS has funded me to have an Auslan Tutor which has helped connect my family and I with understanding my language and my culture.”
Everybody in my family enjoys it it’s something that we do during our family time. My youngest brother and sister who are twins they’re 20 months old and they have picked up Auslan very quickly for someone their age they know several signs like, ‘water’, ‘boy’, ‘girl’, ‘mum’, it is actually pretty incredible when you sit there and watch them learn sign.
Even if music’s on and I’m signing towards it they will want to sign too. It’s magical to watch, they’re adorable.
“I feel closer to them because they have access to my language in a way that I didn’t think they could.”
I hope in the future if NDIS continues to support ‘Auslan in the Home’ it will definitely help them in the future to have better skills and better conversations with me. NDIS has helped in some ways to support what I have missed when I was younger when I didn’t have any funding and NDIS wasn’t really around back then, but there is still quite a lot that I need to learn.
Skills Development has been a really big thing with OT [occupational therapy] and speech, it has filled in some of those gaps but there is still a lot more work that needs to be done so I can be at the same level where I meant to be.
Auslan in the Home
Deaf Services delivers ‘Auslan at Home’ sessions providing flexible Auslan learning to suit the needs of individual families. We can deliver Auslan in your home, via video conferencing and even at your local soccer club! It is a great way to increase participation in the community through learning Auslan.
- Delivered at a venue that suits you
- Offered as a 1 hour class (minimum) of 8 sessions
- Taught be a Deaf person
- Interpreter available for first class if required
As well as learning the language, our Deaf tutors will provide cultural awareness training (eg. gaining attention, how to eat and sign at the dinner table) to ensure that you are able to create a positive and enriching language environment at home.
To find out more about Auslan at Home, or to enquire about booking as part of an NDIS package, email [email protected]
Want to know more about the NDIS? Visit the NDIS section of our website here.
