Our impact
Deaf Connect works across four key areas to champion Deaf rights and capacity and support the possibilities for every Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing Australian. Click on an area to find out more, and to browse our work and projects.
Community Investment
Deaf Connect is actively investing in the Australian Deaf community with a focus on building capacity, and ensuring all parts of our diverse community are supported. This includes a focus on several key areas:
- Building up and supporting the Deaf Ecosystem
- Connecting and working with Deaf Youth, and;
- Forging Deaf leadership opportunities.
Launched in 2024, Deaf History Collections is an online repository showcasing over a century of historical photos, records and artefacts.
The Gallaudet University Immersion Program is an initiative for Australian Deaf individuals to fully immerse themselves in the educational and cultural experiences at Gallaudet University.
Deaf Connect provides $300,000 each year to individuals and community groups to fund projects, study and initiatives which support the Deaf community.
Deaf Connect is the Platinum Sponsor of the Deaf Festival Sydney and an active member on the Festival Organising Committee.
To showcase the Deaf community diverse skillsets, Deaf Connect has created many videos that showcase their potential including Deaf Business Owners and Deaf Leaders.
By providing Deaf Business Networking Events across various states, Deaf Connect provides opportunities for the Deaf community to learn from various guest presenters and network with like-minded people.
Deaf Connect was proud to be the Principal Sponsor of the 2024 Australian Deaf Games. The 2024 Australian Deaf games were held in Lake Macquarie and Newcastle from 13-20 January, 2024.
Advocacy, policy & research
Deaf Connect works alongside governments and various stakeholders to help create policies, write submissions, and give advice on issues relevant to our community. We deliver a national advocacy platform, focusing on key impact areas that will lead to systemic change for our community. We also contribute to evidence-based research that leads to positive outcomes for all Deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Australians.
We ensure that the Deaf Community has representation and the opportunity to secure leadership at roundtables and thinktanks on specific and relevant issues at both the state/territory and federal levels to create influence and impact.
In 2022 Deaf Connect in partnership with Deaf Australia released 3 research reports addressing the economic value, and optimal timing, of Auslan intervention for Deaf Australians.
A core role of the Impact team is to provide expert advice and submissions on Government reviews and policy development. This has recently included the ‘Disability Royal Commission’, The review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and State and Territory inquiries including the ACT Inquiry into Auslan Services.
The Impact Team's role in influencing Government policy includes presentations to Government in private meetings, and at a range of industry committees and hearings. This has recently included at the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
Deaf Connect provided a Pre-Budget submission for the 2024-2025 Federal Budget to continue the government’s support to create a more inclusive society for Deaf Australians.
Projects for Community Growth
With the support of Government, and commercial grants and sponsorships, Deaf Connect develops projects and plans aimed to engage with, inform and grow our community and sector.
See what we’ve been working on:
‘Auslan90’, is a pilot news program that brings the headlines to the Deaf community in daily 90-second videos, entirely in Auslan. Auslan90 is supported by SBS News, which supplies news transcripts for translation into Auslan, ensuring the news is accurate, timely and accessible.
Funded by the Federal Government Department of Social Services (DSS), the Auslan Information Resource Hub project is national program which identifies and addresses key information gaps for the Australian Deaf community.
The Auslan Resource Library is an online collection of general information videos in Auslan on a variety of topics. Explore the library by either using the search bar or clicking on the topic categories below.
A Deafness Awareness Training program has been developed with the Central Adelaide Health Network to help health care workers better understand the needs of the Deaf community.
This project focuses on identifying the barriers and challenges faced by employers and through 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.
Deaf Connect engaged with the Deaf community to film and learn the unique stories behind their Sign Name creating an online collection accessible by all.
Sector engagement
In order to keep serving our Deaf Australians, Deaf Connect are constantly working on opportunities to understand and grow our connection to the Community. This has included brining the community in on key decisions, opening the lines of communication for feedback, and sharing updates and information from the organisation and sector.
In 2024 Deaf Connect launched a Community Advisory Group (CAG) to support the organisation in strategic planning into the future.
Throughout 2022 Deaf Connect engaged the wider Australian Deaf and hard of hearing community through facilitating the Let’s Connect Roadshow and Outreach events that provide opportunities to connect and learn from the community as well as provide information about our services.
Deaf Connect's fortnightly update on what is happening around the organisation and in the community sent to members and posted to our social media channels.
Each quarter Deaf Connect releases a Net Promoter Score survey (NPS) aimed at ensuring a high quality of service delivery and customer service for our customers and community.
