Annual Review

2023

Chair & CEO Report

Chief Executive Officer

Brett Casey

Chair of the Board

Ralph Collins

Drawing the plans, and building the foundations to support sustainable growth.

Undertaking our day-to-day work, we continue to live our mission of: Standing with the Deaf community, building capacity, and influencing social change.


As the NDIA has evolved, the Deaf sector landscape continues to change. Our strength as a leading provider ensures that we can continue to offer opportunities to partner and create a stronger community. This year saw Access Plus WA Deaf and Deaf Connect come together to discuss collaborative ways to strengthen the national Deaf community and subsequently saw a transfer of the assets, services and programs of Access Plus WA Deaf to Deaf Connect. Being able to offer programs nationally leads to a stronger community and confidence that Deaf people can live anywhere in Australia and receive a value and consistent service of need. This growth moves Deaf Connect into a truly national organisation that serves the needs of the Deaf community. Whilst our reach stretches far and wide, our core business: the delivery of services that support Deaf Australians, continues to drive our activities. This Annual Review is a record of that. We continue to be the pivotal point for hundreds of Deaf community members to receive services and act as a conduit where needed.


This year Deaf Connect has strengthened the remit of our social impact agenda working with and alongside our community. The activities of our Impact team in the areas of Youth, Leadership, Deaf History, and the Deaf Ecosystem are paving the way for new innovations and programs that will build a stronger Deaf community into the future. Our Board seek to understand better the concept of Deaf space and have prioritised Deaf space as a critical focal point for our organisation in the coming year.


This, coupled with many other initiatives we continue to design and deliver, looks to preserve and build on the hallmarks of the Deaf community.


Our Innovation and Growth pillar continues to offer opportunities for our community to self-direct their own innovative projects as we offer financial support of these community initiatives (our Deaf Connect Grants program) and our first-ever successful applicants for the Leonie Jackson Memorial Fund this financial year has seen an array of individual projects commence. It has been a pleasure to watch the community tackle new ideas, shape its future, lead and control its own destiny.


Our capacity and reputation, as well as our investment in our partnership framework, have seen critical local, national, and even global partnerships take shape. Government and corporate partners continue to invest in Deaf Connect at various levels through contractual arrangements and our agreed outcomes. This work of creating our partnerships means our local and global Deaf community is in reach – for all Deaf Australians.


This year’s report will showcase not just our services but our organisational capacity and resilience to invest in our staff, training and resources to ensure we remain contemporary and enhance our capacity to deliver. We have a highly skilled and quickly growing workforce across the organisation that continues to working seamlessly through hybrid workplace arrangements to ensure our best work can be given to the community we serve.


To our partners, our supporters, our community – your ability to come and contribute to shaping Deaf Connects future is always appreciated. Working together will not just strengthens outcomes but provides long lasting benefits for the community. For this we thank you for your commitment.


To the Board and staff of Deaf Connect, a thank you is never enough. It is a privilege to watch our progression and work alongside likeminded individuals to ensure we deliver strategically and practically on our vision and mission.


Finally, during the next financial year, the organisation as a whole, will begin the process of crafting a new strategic plan and vision for Deaf Connect. One that converts the past five years of innovation and growth, our initiatives and service offerings to sets new goals for our organisation in support of the community. We look forward to sharing those goals in future updates to you all.

Strategic Plan

Chair’s Reflections

Chair of the Board

Ralph Collins

This Annual Review for FY2022-23 will my last as Chair, with my tenure on the Board of Deaf Connect set to end at the end of the 2023 calendar year.

A Year In Review

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hours of interpreting support delivered
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students trained in Auslan – Australian Sign Language.
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hours of services provided to Deaf Australians
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given to the Deaf Community via Grants and Sponsorships
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attendees at Deaf Festival Sydney

The transfer of Western Australian based staff

Deaf Connect concluded the Financial Year by announcing the transfer of staff and services from Access Plus WA Deaf to Deaf Connect in June 2023 – strengthening the existing support for the Western Australian Deaf community.

When Deaf Connect was invited by the board of Access Plus to investigate working together we saw an opportunity to ensure the high level of on-the-ground service delivery in WA could be better supported by our national systems and processes. We also identified future opportunities for service delivery to address gaps in service availability.

We’d like to acknowledge the lengthy history of Access Plus WA Deaf and are taking measures to preserve the legacies of both organisations, while also seamlessly integrating our systems. It represents a powerful union that strengthens our commitment to the Deaf community nationwide.

At the time of writing, the transfer of these staff and commencement of services has begun – but their contribution has not yet been reflected in this report.

Our Impact

Chief Impact Officer

Brent Phillips

FY22/23 has been by far the biggest year in the short history of Deaf Connect’s Impact team.

Community Engagement

Over the past year, the Impact team have successfully facilitated a range of activities aimed at engaging the Deaf community and supporting the growth and development of Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing individuals in Australia. These initiatives have been instrumental in creating opportunities for this community and fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion.

 

One of our landmark achievements for the year was the successful revival of Deaf Festival Sydney at the Sydney Olympic Park in November 2022, which gathered an impressive turnout of over 1,500 attendees. More about the Deaf Festival available on page 19.

 

In addition, we led Deaf Connect’s continued commitment to building up the Deaf Ecosystem through initiatives such as Deaf Business Networking Events, providing valuable networking opportunities for Deaf individuals to connect and exchange ideas.

 

In April 2023, we provided significant support to Deaf Australia to host the Crossing Borders Youth Camp for 13-17 year olds held in Brisbane. 45 participants attended from all over Australia to form new friendships and strengthen their cultural and linguistic identities, in a highly successful event.

 

Our work on developing skills within the community that support the Deaf Ecosystem was also aided by the launch of two video series titled ‘Life as a Deaf Board Member’ and ‘Life as a Deaf Business Owner.’ These series feature interviews with various Deaf leaders and owners, offering insights into their experiences and perspectives.

 

Another core focus for the Impact Team this year has been the shared history of the Australian Deaf community and supporting that into the future. Deaf Connect’s Deaf History Project has continued to deliver initiatives across the country to collate our historical documents, stories and photos, which included the establishment of an Adelaide working group to explore and preserve South Australian Deaf History, leading to the restoration of a Grandfather Clock at our Mile End office. We look forward to ongoing collaboration with this group in 2023/2024 to honor and commemorate our history.

 

Continuing our commitment to community engagement and building on last year’s National Roadshow, Deaf Connect has delivered 12 additional morning tea events across Australia to 215 members of the Deaf seniors’ community, providing information on the free interpreting and live captioning service available to them funded by the Federal Department of Health and Ageing.

 

Government Relations  

Throughout the last financial year, we have successfully responded to a range of parliamentary and government inquiries and acted proactively in alignment our advocacy agenda representing the Deaf community’s best interest as the largest service provider and social impact organisation.

Our submissions and engagement have included:

Presentations at, or submissions to:

  • The Disability Royal Commission’s public hearing #29 and provided a supplementary submission.
  • The (NSW) Inquiry into Auslan interpretation for broadcasting.
  • The (ACT) Inquiry into access to services and information in Auslan and met with a number of ACT Ministers and policy officers, as well as DeafACT
  • The Inquiry into the Capability and Culture of the National Disability Insurance Agency – this resulted in an invitation to provide evidence at a hearing

Official advice, or commentary provided on a range of issues including:

  • The NDIA’s “Would We Fund It” guidelines.
  • The Department of Social Services’ review of accessibility of mainstream and specialist family, domestic and sexual violence services for women with disability.
  • The NDIA’s Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strategy co-design
  • The EAF funding increase cochlear mapping concerns in Adelaide and Townsville in supporting families and individuals affected.
  • The Department of Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications potential training for TTY users to engage with infrastructure and
  • National Relay Service consultation.


Projects and Government Partnerships 

The Impact Team have seen the expansion in the project space off the back of successful government grant submissions and has successfully seen further investment into projects as key government agencies have further funded several projects already in development.

These include:

National: Auslan Resource Information Hub Information Linkages & Capacity Building Project 

Funded by the Federal Government Department of Social Services (DSS)

Delivered in consortium with Expression Australia, the Auslan Resource Information Hub project has seen further investment from the Department to continue this national program of work which aims to identify the information needs of the Australian Deaf community.

 

South Australia:  South Australia Health Information Linkages & Capacity Building (ILC) Project

Funded by the Federal Government Department of Social Services (DSS)

This project has developed an online Deafness Awareness Training (DAT) program specially targeted to frontline medical and administrative staff to understand the communication needs of Deaf and hard of hearing patients that present at Government based health services across the state.

 

National: Building Employer Confidence (BEC) Information Linkages & Capacity Building (ILC) Project

Funded by the Federal Government Department of Social Services (DSS)

The Building Employer Confidence Information Linkages & Capacity Building Project focuses on identifying the barriers and challenges faced by employers and through the development of an evidence-based toolkit, provide employers with strategies and tools to increase their confidence and ability to retain, upskill and advance the employment opportunities for Deaf and hard of hearing employees.

 

Northern Territory: Inclusive Education Support Grant (IESG)

Working alongside the Northern Territory Government, the Northern Territory Education Department and Melbourne based and Deaf owned business Auslan Hub, the Inclusive Education Support Grant (IESG) project is investing in upskilling, training and supporting NT Education staff working with Deaf and hard of hearing students in primary and secondary schools.

 

New South Wales: Disability Advocacy Futures Program (DAFP)

Funded by the New South Wales Government’s Department of Communities & Justice, The Disability Advocacy Futures Program (DAFP) aims to deliver self-advocacy resources to meet the needs of the New South Wales Deaf Community.  Resources developed will be based off feedback from Deaf Connect’s Community Access team (under Information Services) and through focus groups with members of the New South Wales Deaf community.  

 

Translation Services
Throughout the financial year 2022-2023, the Translations Services team made substantial strides in providing Auslan translations to a diverse array of clients. This dedication culminated in the creation of 693 videos across 287 projects, illustrating our unwavering commitment to enhancing information accessibility in Auslan.   The crafting of 693 Auslan videos has yielded significant enhancements in information accessibility for the Auslan-speaking community. This impact encompasses heightened comprehension of government policies, more effective communication for non-government organisations, and increased interaction with educational content.  As we anticipate the year ahead, we remain committed to refining our processes, expanding our service offerings, and sustaining our commitment to inclusivity for the Auslan-speaking community. 

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Our Services

Chief Operations Officer

Craig McDonald

At the close of the financial year, Deaf Connect is in a strong position, as a stable and consistent provider for the community, poised for further service growth and expansion based on community need.

It is our diverse service offering, across all stages of life which sets Deaf Connect up for a bright future in supporting the Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing community.


Throughout this period of exceptional growth, and continued high standards of service delivery we have been working behind the scenes to ensure our teams are structured in the most efficient manner, and in a way which is clear to the clients they support. We have seen some changes at our General Manager, and senior manager levels as well as the integration of staff from other organisations into services throughout the business. We are learning from the experience of the new staff groups that are joining Deaf Connect and building service teams which are primed for innovation for the community.


These restructured service teams continue to focus on operational efficiency – particularly as we integrate new staff and learn from our first year of operations in South Australia. Over the year, our teams have successfully completed all financial and quality audits and maintained our relationships with funding providers nationally.


Focusing on the next 12 months, we will continue to identify areas in which we can support the community through growing much-needed services. Importantly we will be welcoming Access Plus WA Deaf into the Deaf Connect family in the next financial year, and working closely with local staff and community to ensure services that meet local need.


Service delivery remains the core business for Deaf Connect, and continuity of delivery is paramount to provide certainty for our community. We look forward to seeing our hard work this year provide dividends for the community in the future.

Ageing Well

Dr Leena Vuorinen

General Manager Ageing Well

The Ageing Well team is committed to supporting our Deaf seniors to remain healthy, informed and independent.

Over the past year the team has provided this support for over 100 clients to live in their own home for as long as possible, and delivered more than 9,000 one-on-one visit hours across our Ageing Well client group.

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Education

Kate Matairavula

General Manager Education

This year marks my first as General Manager of the Education Team, having previously managed Deaf Connect’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO), and I am particularly proud to share the progress achieved by the team.

FY22/23 has been another year of strong enrolments across in-person and online courses; demonstrating an increasing demand to learn Auslan and understand the language and community.

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Information Services

Andrew Wiltshire

General Manager Information Services

Over the past financial year the Information Services team has continued to deliver its core business of NDIS support coordination and in-person and virtual community access services – ensuring this longstanding staple of community support remains accessible across the country.

In FY23/24, we provided over 13,210 hours of support to NDIS participants, received 92 requests for support from new consumers, and witnessed an average of 15% of community access being allocated for literacy support.

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Interpreting Services

Rebecca O’Brien

General Manager Interpreting Services

The work of our interpreting department – our interpreters, customer booking staff and leadership team are the conduit between our community and their lives. Across FY22/23 we’re proud of the teams ability to continue to grow our workforce, and deliver more hours of interpreting than ever before to ensure Deaf Australian’s can participate as equal citizens across the country.

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Support Work Services

Kristen Mason

General Manager Support Work Services

In the FY22/23, the Support Work Services team achieved significant progress by providing personalised daily living and social community participation support to NDIS Participants communicating primarily through Auslan. Our goal of empowering the Deaf and hard of hearing communities has driven us to foster independence and self-determination among our clients.

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Therapy and Family Services

Jen McKee

General Manager Therapy and Family Services

This is my final report as the General Manager of the Therapy and Family Services team, formerly known as Hear for Kids, and I am pleased to share the significant progress we have made over the course of this fiscal year.

One of the most notable advancements has been the robust growth in our participation under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). We observed a substantial increase in the average number of NDIS participants per month from 212 in FY21/22 to 254 in FY22/23. In addition, the Hear for Kids in School program has seen growth in therapy hours provided.

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Our Progress

Chief Financial Officer

Sarah Page

In FY22/23 the focus of the Finance and IT teams has been progressing projects to improve efficiencies across the organisation and developing cyber security parameters to ensure we stay ahead of the game.

 

SERVICE DELIVERY
We continue growth geographically and work further to optimise our service delivery models to provide community support more effectively and adapt to community needs. For FY22/23, Deaf Connect supported the community by financially supporting the provision of Information Services, including walk-in community access. Government grant funding in this area ceased, and NDIS funding was not able to provide the same level of coverage. Deaf Connect elected to continue this support as it’s a vital program for the community.

In addition, we further funded the expansion of Ageing Well services into South Australia as the need is identified and client numbers grow.

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Cyber security has been a significant focus for this team. We have developed training and awareness campaigns for all staff, and proactively organised an audit against one of the higher standards in Cyber Security ISO 27001 (an international standard to manage information security) to benchmark our status against best practice for large organisations, and identify opportunities for improvement.

 

PLAN MANAGEMENT
Our Plan Management services area achieved significant growth in 2023 as we introduced new software directly connecting to the NDIS portal, providing live access to balances and expenditures for our clients and anyone in their support team that they authorise to enable better visibility and management of support services. These changes have been crucial in maintaining our clients’ engagement with, and control of, their finances.

 

INNOVATION
The culture of innovation is thriving within Deaf Connect with continuous improvement activities developed in all departments, and engagement by staff with our Discovery Grants and Lottery Grant Programs. Through Discovery Grants Deaf Connect staff have the opportunity to take an aspirational community outcome and fund the development of a project to meet that need. This year we have seen this play out in our new mentoring program for families – which started as a discovery grant application and will launch as a service offering in the new FY23/24.

 

2024 is looking to be another growth year as we extend our remit to supporting clients in Western Australia with the transfer of services from Access Plus WA Deaf, and organically grow in the other states we provide services in.

 

The community is recognising Deaf Connect as a leader in our space, and we continue to focus on our person-centric service initiatives to ensure we invest in the gaps where the government does not support and fulfil our mission and vision and serve our community and share our culture.

Financials

2023

Our People

Chief People & Culture Officer

Isabelle Swanston

Deaf Connect began the financial year well underway with the process of onboarding our South Australian office following the transfer of services from Deaf Can:Do in April 2022.

Support and Process Improvement

A standout improvement is the implementation of Donesafe, a central online hub for our staff to report hazards, incidents, near misses, compliments, feedback and complaints, as well as hosting our Continuous Improvement Register and allowing us to drive and track continuous improvements organization-wide. This system makes reporting and actioning things like incidents and complaints across the business a streamlined and trackable process and has supported further embedding our safety and quality culture at Deaf Connect.

 

We provided training to all staff on hazard and incident identification and complaint resolution. This was one of many fresh or updated courses made available through our Go1 online learning platform. We take pride in offering training in both English and Auslan, tailoring modules to suit everyone’s language preference.

 

To equip our workforce with essential skills, we conducted a thorough internal training review in consultation with leaders and subject matter experts. We looked to both current and future workforce needs including areas of service expansion and sector gaps.

From this review, a key initiative emerged: De-escalation training to ensure all staff are skilled in defusing high-tension situations, avoiding unsafe situations and supporting our colleagues and clients in challenging moments. Eighteen staff members completed a comprehensive “train-the-trainer” course, with plans to deliver this training nationally in the new financial year.

Recruitment
This year has been a period of significant staff growth for Deaf Connect – and our overall workforce increasing monthly across both permanent and casual staff. Teams across Deaf Connect have welcomed new staff into the unique experience of working at a bilingual organisation. We saw growth across all states and territories including significant growth in our Melbourne office, and early in the new financial year we will welcome our new team in Western Australia.

Organisational Culture
Amidst this growth, maintaining a cohesive office culture has been crucial. We introduced Connection Days to bolster our existing flexible work policy. These monthly gatherings encourage all staff to come together in their local office, engage in structured activities, and foster connections and collaboration (and sometimes competition) across teams and locations.

 

A highlight of our Connection Days was our December 2022 Holiday Contest, culminating in a hotly contested festive office decoration competition. All the pent-up energy from lockdowns was unleashed into the office decorations and Parramatta emerged as the winner showcasing impressive creativity. Every office brought humour and heart to their decorations.

 

Our Values
Another significant addition this year was the launch of our values awards, recognising staff who embody our core values: Heart, Courage, and Discovery. These awards are ongoing, with quarterly recognition ceremonies honouring staff who exemplify our values.

 

In 2023, we’ve witnessed a remarkable surge in new staff acquisitions and role expansions, steering us through a period of substantial growth and achievement. Throughout this exciting journey, our People & Culture team has remained dedicated to refining internal processes, addressing training requirements, and upholding our high standards in our audits. We’re embracing process and celebrating our successes as Deaf Connect continues to serve our community.

Our Innovation

Special Projects. Some of the major projects we delivered this year that have inspired our staff.

XIX World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) has held the World Congress every four years since 1951.

For the 2023 World Congress, in Jeju, South Korea Deaf Connect proudly sponsored 35 community members including youth and Deaf Connect staff to attend the Congress and associated events.

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The Sign Name Project

In recognition of Auslan Day 2023 Deaf Connect, supported by nearly 200 members of the Deaf community, were proud to launch the Sign Name Project. Throughout this financial year the team attended events across the country, collecting videos from community members in which we asked them to share their sign name and the story behind it.

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Deaf Connect and Gallaudet University Join Forces

This year, during the XIX World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf, Deaf Connect and Gallaudet University were proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership.

The announcement was made public at a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at the Gallaudet University alumni event, on 13 July, 2023 at Parnas Hotel Jeju, South Korea.

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Our Research

In 2022 Deaf Connect in partnership with Deaf Australia released three research reports addressing the economic value, and optimal timing, of Auslan intervention for Deaf Australians.

The reports, collectively titled A Culturally Affirming Way Forward provide recommendations to address issues faced by Deaf and hard of hearing people as well as the economic and social benefits of Auslan, and the optimal timing of Auslan intervention.

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Grants and sponsorships

Each year Deaf Connect provides up to $300,000 in grants and sponsorships to Deaf individuals, community groups and projects that support Deaf Australians. The Deaf Connect community grant program is one of the initiatives funded by the Deaf Lottery – directly funding a range of projects and initiatives within the community.

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Deaf Festival

The Deaf Festival Sydney is a long-standing tradition in NSW, which most recently was supported by the NSW Deaf Society before the creation of Deaf Connect. Following a hiatus due to the Pandemic (during which Deaf Connect hosted the first Deaf online arts festival – VIBE FESTIVAL), the NSW Deaf Festival was back this year in a new home at Sydney Olympic Park.

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Acknowledgement of Deaf People and the Community

Deaf Connect celebrates Auslan and recognise all Deaf leaders in Australia who have advocated for Deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing communities. We are proud of everyone’s contribution, whether big or small, in preserving our language, community and culture.

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Archived Reports

Annual Review

2023

Deaf Connect acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this ​country and pay ​our respects ​to their Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. ​It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.

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Ageing Well

Dr Leena Vuorinen
General Manager Ageing Well

The Ageing Well team is committed to supporting our Deaf seniors to remain healthy, informed and independent.

Over the past year the team has provided this support for over 100 clients to live in their own home for as long as possible, and delivered more than 9,000 one-on-one visit ours across our Ageing Well client group.FY22/23 was a year of firsts for Ageing Well in our journey to provide this support: each signifying a considerable milestone in the development of our service.

These included the department’s full site audit by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and our latest desk assessment by ACQSC – which granted full compliance for the next three years.

Based on these reviews a new assessment and support planning tool was developed – another first for our team, and every client’s support plan was reviewed and updated.

Ageing Well has also focused on improving its communication with clients. Following the pandemic, and extensive training from our support workers many of our clients have become more comfortable with communication via video call in Auslan which has become a core communication channel for the first time. We have also simplified our text-based messages and focusing on this clear communication has increased satisfaction amongst consumers. 

Capitalising on a greater understanding of video platforms among our clients the team also delivered 150 online support sessions across the year.

Ageing Well actively seeks partnership and collaboration with external stakeholders to increase awareness on healthy ageing and other age-related topics. Ageing Well worked together with Wellways Australia to offer access to ‘Carer Support’ for carers of Deaf people. Resources were developed and published on Deaf Connect’s website, and information sessions were held to inform the community about services available for them.

Case Study  

Ken, an Ageing Well client has asked his support worker Elizabeth to pass on his extreme happiness with Ageing well and how well supported he is by Sandra Carroll, Elizabeth ONeill and Tania Corless (the cleaner). He tells his friends and family how happy, thankful and blessed he is to have Ageing Well support him and his wife with various tasks that he does find difficult to do on his own.

Educaton

Kate Matairavula
General Manager Education

This year marks my first as General Manager of the Education Team, having previously managed Deaf Connect’s Registered Training Organisation (RTO), and I am particularly proud to share the progress achieved by the team. The 2022-23 Financial Year saw the rebranding of Access Training and Education to Deaf Connect, uniting the services that Deaf Connect provides under one banner. This work has also ensured our materials are aligned with the fresh purple and teal brand colours, increasing recognition of the organisation across the country. 
 
A focus for the team has been integrating our South Australian office and welcoming of those team members to Deaf Connect. This year we have also aligned our Auslan Only Weekend program and our training resources across all delivery regions.  
 
We have been really pleased to see the benefits of that collaboration show through a 100% increase in enrolments for non-accredited courses in South Australia, underscoring the demand for our educational programs.  
 
Also, the surge in demand for our Diploma of Interpreting offerings prompted the implementation of a new admissions testing process and the introduction of an Interpreting Bridging course. These measures were taken to ensure that potential students are well-prepared for the rigors of the program. 
 
Across the country, new and existing partnership and grant-funded programs have continued to support an increased uptake of training in Auslan.  Strong enrolments, bolstered during the height of the pandemic and unprecedented visibility of Auslan in daily press conferences, continued this Financial Year. Our Community Classes and accredited training continue to be popular entry pathways for learners, and we look forward to seeing these students become the next generation of interpreters, support workers, and allies for the Deaf community.  

Deaf Connect’s partnership with YouthWorx in the Northern Territory, now in its second year, has shown Auslan scholarship students progressing from Certificate III in Auslan to the Diploma of Auslan – bringing the Territory one step closer to bolstering its workforce of interpreters.  
 
The team also have secured a funding contract with the Northern Territory government in partnership with Auslan Hub to deliver inclusive education training for staff in NT schools who work with deaf and hard of hearing children. Through an additional funding contract with the Western Australian Government, we will be able to deliver subsidised training for our Diploma of Interpreting courses reducing the fees that students need to pay and supporting the growth of interpreters in Western Australia.  

The growth and achievements in the Education Department are a testament to our collective dedication to empowering the Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing community through education. Each milestone reached this year serves as a stepping stone towards a more inclusive and empowered future. 

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Information Services

Andrew Wiltshire
General Manager Information Services

Information Services plays a critical community outreach role across the business, and as the organisation has grown, the team’s remit has continued to expand, including other specific services and regions – while maintaining our focus on customer support.  

Recruitment efforts were a key focus, particularly in the Newcastle and Central Coast region for Support Coordinators, and in Darwin, Sunshine Coast, and Townsville for Community Access staff. These efforts brought fresh talent and perspectives and supported our regions well.  

Unity remained at the forefront of our operations. Regular meetings, insightful workshops, and skill-enhancing training sessions resulted in positive strides for our team, while customer feedback has inspired us to elevate customer service through enhanced training and refined policies, ensuring that we meet and exceed client expectations. 
 
This also fed into the formation of a new collaborative working group in February 2023 – this diverse team focuses on customer service enhancement, resource review, local community engagement, compliance measures, and refining work targets (KPIs). 
 
Over the past year, we provided over 13,210 hours of support to NDIS participants, received 92 requests for support from new consumers, and witnessed an average of 15% of community access being allocated for literacy support. Throughout this we have maintained commendable results for our NDIS and ISO 9001 audits across the department.  
 
In March 2023, Deaf Connect signed an MOU with the City of Ryde for a 12-month trial of Auslan Storytime, and secured a 3-year contract with the City of Sydney for the same program. The Information Services team’s work on these contracts extends our community engagement to a youth audience, extending the reach of our service offering.  

On a personal note, I’d like to congratulate a number of staff throughout the team who participated in the Deaf Connect Emerging Leaders Program, a significant step in fostering future leadership potential within our team. 

Our journey this year has been one of growth, unity, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. We look forward to building on these achievements in the coming year.

Interpreting

Rebecca O'Brien
General Manager Interpreting

The start of this year saw Deaf Connect commence service delivery in South Australia with a warm welcome from both community and interpreters alike. We’ve seen a 10% growth in booking numbers there during the year and subsequently brought on an additional Bookings Officer based in Adelaide to cover the increased workload.   
 
The Customer Bookings Team have continued to adapt to new ways of working as they expanded to work across three offices and multiple time zones. The team had the opportunity to come together in person and they wasted no time unpacking all the ways they could improve the customer journey. These improved processes resulted in continued growth of our market share in all states and territories while at the same time strengthening our fulfillment rate with an overall growth of 9% for delivered bookings.   
 
Along with improving our customer service, there was a strong focus on workforce development this year.   
 
We completed a successful recruitment campaign to increase workforce numbers, ensuring service delivery for our growing customer base. Joined by our CEO, Brett Casey, I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet some of our team in person at our Meet and Greet events in Melbourne, Hobart and Perth and to hear from our staff firsthand, why we are an employer of choice in the industry. Our interpreter team is now more than 400 in number across every state and territory and we thank each and every one of them for the effort they put in each and every day and the continuing flexibility and professionalism they show in their work.  
 
In addition to increasing our interpreter numbers, we also provided opportunities for skill development through mentoring.   
 
We were pleased to partner with Deaf Connect’s Education Services Team to provide the Student Observation Program to the Diploma of Interpreting students. Students were offered a number of opportunities to shadow an experienced interpreter mentor for a day to see what a day in the life of an interpreter really looks like. They were also able to gain insights by debriefing with their interpreter mentor before and after bookings. The feedback from students was extremely positive as they were able to see their learnings play out in real life and they have started to build their network of colleagues as they move forward with an interpreting career.  
 
Our signature John Ferris Mentor Program was delivered again after being paused due to Covid-19. The program was rolled out nationally for the first time and delivered both onsite and online to allow regional interpreters the opportunity to participate. The five mentees who participated this year gained valuable insights into their work that will enable them to provide improved access to our community. The John Ferris Mentor Program supports the continued development of interpreters after they pass their NAATI exam and transition from classroom to real–world interpreting as well as when they look to upskill to Certified Interpreter level (formally Level 3) and beyond.   
 
These fabulous opportunities for our students and interpreters would not be possible without our interpreter mentors and the booking officers involved in scheduling and planning. A lot of work and training goes on behind the scenes to make these opportunities possible and we appreciate their commitment to the industry and their fellow colleagues.   
 
The hard work of both the Customer Service Team and Interpreters alike, has seen Deaf Connect receive multiple contracts with customers this year. We continue to receive funding from the NT Government to provide a Certified Level interpreter in Darwin who has now been providing access to the Northern Territory community for 18 months. They will soon start supporting the next generation of NT interpreters who are about to commence their Diploma of Interpreting.   
 
We are also pleased to continue contract delivery for the Commonwealth Department of Health for our community over the age of 65. Almost 500 people have now registered with us to receive free interpreting under the scheme, and it is wonderful to see our senior community out and about enjoying this time in their lives accessing a variety of activities and services. 

Support Work

Kristen Mason
General Manager Support Work Services

In the 2022/2023 financial year, the Support Services team achieved significant progress by providing personalized daily living and social community participation support to NDIS Participants communicating primarily through Auslan. Our goal of empowering the Deaf and hard of hearing communities has driven us to foster independence and self-determination.  
 
As our team grows, our focus on customer satisfaction led to streamlined communication channels. We established a central contact for SMS, emails, and Skype, enhancing accessibility. This accessibility has also been demonstrated in the transition to Easy Read documents for improved information sharing and the implementation of a Home Support app to manage service bookings efficiently.  

We’ve undergone a comprehensive team restructure this year, including the addition of a dedicated manager for operations and service delivery oversight with Participant Service Coordinators and Team Leaders reporting to them. The rostering team facilitated support worker deployment, and an administration officer role has been implemented to support administrative tasks.  

Our investment in staff development this year was evident through sending five team members to the World Federation of the Deaf Congress at Jeju Island, South Korea. This exposure empowered attendees to network with the international Deaf community, bringing back insights that enriched our organisation.  

Looking ahead, we are committed to expanding our services to include the Northern Territory and Western Australia, bringing our support to even more communities. These new services will benefit from our process of continuous improvement and the insights of our participant committee. 

Our dedicated support workers and office team members are the driving force behind our success. Their commitment embodies our organization’s values: Heart, Courage, Discovery. As we continue empowering lives, our mission to stand with the community, build capacity, and influence change remains resolute. 
 
Our team is focused on client outcomes and, in closing, our successes this year are best summarized in participant stories.  
 
One participant organized a movie outing on a public holiday, enhancing relationships while enjoying captioned films. Another group planned an Australia Zoo visit, highlighting collaborative decision-making. These stories showcase newfound empowerment and shared experiences among participants.  

Therapy & Family Services

Jen McKee
General Manager Therapy and Family Services

As my last report as the General Manager of the Therapy and Family Services team, formerly known as Hear for Kids, this year’s report signifies a transitional phase for our department. I am pleased to share the significant progress we have made over the course of this fiscal year. 

One of the most notable advancements has been the robust growth in our participation under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). We observed a substantial increase in the average number of NDIS participants per month, soaring from 212 in 2021/2022 to 254 in 2022/2023. In addition the Hear for Kids in School program has seen growth in therapy hours provided. 

As Deaf Connect grows, and Therapy and Family Services seeks out new programs and gaps within the community, we have also sought to maintain our commitment to nurturing existing partnerships. In FY 23/24 we have successfully renewed and extended our contracts with Children’s Health Queensland for the Healthy Hearing Monitoring program, and the Department of Communities and Justice in New South Wales for Targeted Early Intervention, underscoringes our dedication to early intervention strategies. 

This year the team have expanded our psychology services, with a full-time psychologist now available to cater to the evolving needs of our clients. Additionally, our introduction of a counseling allied health assistant program in Townsville and the incorporation of a social worker in Adelaide support our capacity to address mental health concerns effectively. 

In response to escalating service requirements, we have amplified the hours for our Auslan allied health assistant to full-time capacity. This strategic move ensures that we continue to deliver the highest quality of service to our clients, meeting their needs comprehensively. 

In May our team hosted our first Parent Mentor Night in the Deaf Connect offices at Parramatta. The event was the kickstart of a project launching in the new financial year, which brings together families of Deaf children and community mentors with lived experience of Deafness. Dr Breda Carty presented at the event, which was also a great opportunity to network for parents to meet and discuss the value of social capital and community connection.  

In closing, as I end my time as General Manager after 10 years heading up this team, I am confident that the Therapy and Family Services team is poised for even greater accomplishments in the years ahead – and significant growth to ensure children nationally are provided with the support they deserve to thrive. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each member of our dedicated team, our invaluable partners, and, most importantly, the families and individuals we have had the privilege to support.  

XIX World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf

The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) has held the World Congress every four years since 1951.

For the 2023 World Congress, in Jeju, South Korea Deaf Connect proudly sponsored 35 community members including youth and Deaf Connect staff to attend the Congress and associated events.

The investment in our community has been an important focus for Deaf Connect in FY22/23 and the feedback from attendees and the learnings and relationships developed in South Korea will hopefully support valuable developments within the community locally. 

We also co-hosted a global Deaf Leadership workshop with Gallaudet University just prior to the commencement of the WFD Congress.  Over 50 participants from 20 countries attended, and topics delivered included Networking & Partnerships, Sign Language Rights and Emotional Intelligence & Transformative Change.

Sign Name Project

In recognition of Auslan Day 2023 Deaf Connect, supported by nearly 200 members of the Deaf community were proud to launch the Sign Name Project. Throughout this financial year the team attended events across the country, collecting videos from community members in which we asked them to share their sign name and the story behind it.

The result was the first stage of our online Sign Name gallery, a permanent archive of sign names around the country which will be added to and developed over time.

This stage of the project was partially funded by Commonwealth Bank of Australia. You can view the gallery here.

Deaf Connect and Gallaudet University Join to Empower International Deaf Community

This year, during the XIX World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf, Deaf Connect and Gallaudet University were proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership.

The announcement was made public at a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at the Gallaudet University alumni event, on 13 July, 2023 at Parnas Hotel Jeju, South Korea.

Through this multi-year partnership, Deaf Connect and Gallaudet University will work together on several key initiatives:

Education and Training: The institutions will collaborate on Immersion educational programs and training opportunities to equip Deaf individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in various fields to gain the “Gallaudet University experience”. 

Policy and Awareness: Both organisations are committed to raising awareness about the challenges faced by the Deaf community and advocating for their rights.

Community Engagement: Deaf Connect and Gallaudet University, recognize the importance of community engagement and will collaborate on initiatives that foster social connections and support networks within the Deaf community through organising opportunities for employees and students.

Technology and Innovation: The partnership will leverage technology and innovation to develop accessible solutions that enhance communication, education, and employment opportunities for the Deaf community. 

Global Leadership Events: The parties began their partnership at the XIX World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf by Co-hosting a global leadership event prior to the 2023 WFD Congress in Jeju, South Korea, and follow-up events will be delivered.

Our Research

In 2022 Deaf Connect in partnership with Deaf Australia released three research reports addressing the economic value, and optimal timing, of Auslan intervention for Deaf Australians.

The reports, collectively titled A Culturally Affirming Way Forward provide recommendations to address issues faced by Deaf and hard of hearing people as well as the economic and social benefits of Auslan, and the optimal timing of Auslan intervention.

The reports are:
– Our Culture, Our Value: The Social And Economic Benefits Of Auslan
– Our Culture, Our Value: The Costs Of Hearing Loss In Australia, and;
– Exploring The Benefits Of Auslan In Early Intervention Approaches For Deaf Children

The reports are some of the most in-depth research into the value of Auslan acquisition in the language’s history, and provide an essential picture of benefits of Auslan both for community members, and to the wider Australian economy.

Grants and Sponsorship Update

Each year Deaf Connect provides up to $300,000 in grants and sponsorships to Deaf individuals, community groups and projects that support Deaf Australians. The Deaf Connect community grant program is one of the initiatives funded by the Deaf Lottery – directly funding a range of projects and initiatives within the community.

Projects throughout the year included: 

Spring Jam 2022 Championship 

Deaf Connect proudly sponsored the inaugural Spring Jam Basketball tournament for Deaf, hard of hearing and CODA (Children of Deaf adults) community in September 2022, held at Brisbane State High School. Congratulations to the winners, team Deaf Gain. 

A head start on a business career
A passionate teenager with the desire to pursue a career in business and have a positive impact on the Deaf Community, received a grant from Deaf Connect to study a Diploma in Business in Year 11 and 12. They aim to continue on to university, contributing to the Deaf Ecosystem and encouraging a bilingual workplace for all to succeed in.   

Providing access to Pride 

In March 2023 Sydney WorldPride hosted the largest LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Conference in the Southern Hemisphere. The three day event was an exploration of LGBTQIA+ human rights. Deaf Connect supported the event by providing a grant to cater for the provision of Auslan interpreters across the event, ensuring it was accessible and inclusive for all abilities.   

Imagined Touch

Deaf Connect provided a grant to film makers Sofya Gollan and Jodee Mundy to travel to New York City to represent their documentary IMAGINED TOUCH. The film was selected as part of the Reelabilities Film Festival 2023, at the prestigious Lincoln Centre of Performing Arts in celebration of their 15th Anniversary. 

Representing on the world stage

Deaf Connect provided grants to support Deaf athletes performing in both the World Cup Rugby 7s, and the World Deaf Basketball Championships 2023.

Special Events | Deaf Festival Sydney

The Deaf Festival Sydney is a long-standing tradition in NSW, which most recently was supported by the NSW Deaf Society before the creation of Deaf Connect. Following a hiatus due to the Pandemic (during which Deaf Connect hosted the first Deaf online arts festival – VIBE FESTIVAL), the NSW Deaf Festival was back this year in a new home at Sydney Olympic Park.

Over 1,500 Deaf community members attended on Saturday the 16th of November, supporting over 40 stalls linked to the Deaf ecosystem and enjoyed our stage show including a guest performance from Emma Memma and Elvin Melvin.

The Deaf Festival has traditionally been a community-driven event, and Deaf Connect is proud to be acting as a sponsor, advisor and support team for the growing and enthusiastic group of Deaf community members who make up the Festival Committee. We thank all those volunteers for their time in making the festival possible, and look forward to working with you again for the Deaf Festival Sydney 2023.

Thanks to our sponsors: eWAY, Full Life, Sweeney Interpreting, NextSense, PAH! and Concentrix.