Survey by Eva Ayers

I was kindly asked if it was ok to put this on my site which I have done, regarding a survey she wants to do. See below the following information she gave me about it, and if you are interested in her survey too just click on the link.

Dear Participant,

My name is Eva Ayers, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Department of Health and Behavior Studies at Columbia University at Teacher’s College in New York. This letter is to request your permission to conduct my research by taking this online survey and answering three questions.

The purpose of this study is to find out if educational setting and communication mode affect employment outcome for adults who are deaf and hard of hearing. All the information I obtain from your background will be kept confidential and your name will not be used in any way. The survey and three questions you complete will be taken on your own time, online. The information collected from this study will be complied into a report that will be available for my dissertation. The report will not contain any individual information about you; however, the researcher may use your statement from answering questions in the report. Your identity will be kept anonymous.

There is no monetary compensation for participating in this study. The information in this study should help us learn more about how school setting and communication modes have an effect on Deaf employment outcome. It should take no more than 30 minutes to complete the survey (20 questions) and three questions which give you an opportunity to put down your own statements. There is little risk associated with participation of this study. The research as the same amount of risk any participant will encounter while taking public survey online. If you feel uncomfortable while taking the survey, or answering the questions, you may stop anytime and not continue with it. Any responses to the survey will be anonymous and calculated by a secure website, surveymoney.com.

If you chose not to participant in the survey, all you have to do is log out of the website. If you agreed to participant n this survey, you may proceed to take this survey.

Thank you for the opportunity to take this survey, or even considering taking it.

Sincerely,

Eva Ayers

Note: By clicking or copy and paste on the survey, I have read and understand the information about it. I give consent to participate in this study. I understand that this consent is voluntary and can be withdrawn without penalty at any time during the survey.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1YUDKpdXa_2fw_2bkIFY1UP3kw_3d_3d

Gave up looking

For over 3 years I looked for work, as I was planning leaving where I currently am for better working conditions, but in all that time of applying for different jobs, I only had 3 interviews (2 at the same place), so I gave up looking any longer, and decided to stick where I am. Unless I was to try my hand at being Self Employed in my spare time doing my favourite thing… hand made greeting cards, and see where it takes me that way after 2 years. But this is a big IF at the moment now at the moment with how I’ve been recently. I may still decided to keep it as a hobby.

And I think one of my job interviews I particular went for. Deafness got in the way. But I can’t do anything about that as had the interview. (Which I mentioned about this also in an earlier post on 17th February 2009), click this link if you want to read that again too at http://l1zblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/do-you-work/ Other place where in total I had 2 interviews a year apart, because I still shown interest in the company. I was absolutely gutted 2 months later after last years interview. This interview I had I was aware there was no job going yet, but because I was still showing interest in the company a year later he interviewed me again, and I was offered a work trial, which I accepted as so he could see if I was good, but also if I could see myself there as I never done his job before. I did this work trial on a Sunday 7am till 11am, and I was buzzing with excitement in making my way down which was local to me. I was shown the ropes by 2 women that were doing a shift there, and had a go myself after watching how it was done. And I really enjoyed it! They said I’d done a good job, and I wasn’t bad for a first timer. So I was happy even more knowing that when I left they’d be a good report for the boss, and hopefully if a job came up soon then I’d be offered as promised.

I carried on looking for work at the job centre, and about 2 months later from that work trial, at the job centre I came across a job that looked very familar. I handed it to the desk and said, don’t tell me, I’ll tell you, and said who I thought it was. Turned out I was right. You can imagine how annoyed, gutted and upset I was then. I contacted my adviser from the RNID who I was under and texted her about it. I told her to say he has a good long term memory, he has a terrible short one. I’ve seen a job for the exact position I was promised that I did a ork trial for, and told I was good. But I’ve heard nothing. She got in touch with him, and texted back to get in touch with him. But I said there’s no way I’m doing that now. I don’t trust him. I’m not going to throw away a secure job only for him to take me on for so long, and then get rid of me if that’s what he wanted to do. He promised he’d get in touch. He forgot me in 2 months but could remember me from a year ago. It does not give me a good impression of him.

Turned out I made the right move in staying where I was too. I have heard stuff about him, and it’s not good. He’s not that nice as he made out to be.

How do you feel when it comes to the job your in or applying for. Do you feel the same. Vote below. 

What communication do you prefer to use?

Tick what you use. There is no limit to your choice.

Do you work…

People are not supposed to discriminate disabled people when it comes to applying for a job, and the acts are there to stop this. But does it help?

I believe in my own experience that in the past a couple of jobs out of the few I applied for, I was discriminated because of my deafness. But its hard to prove. I was experienced in the area I applied for, and flexible too. But never got anywhere, so I feel I’m stuck where I am. I have even gave up applying for jobs after over 3 years of doing this. Not because of the discrimination I feel possibly went on, but because how everything is at the moment with the recession and people loosing their jobs. I feel I need to stay where I am because its safe. You may say that no job is safe now. And I agree with that mostly, except for hospitals as they always need cleaners…. we do where I am, so this is why I feel I need to stay where I am.

But it doesn’t mean I have lost my dreams of doing something new in addition to my job or completely new if it went well. I’ve always liked the idea of giving it go as business with my hand made cards again. But I need to start this from home, and I can’t because of what the tenancy rules say. But maybe this will happen sometime in the future depending on if wherever I move to, if their tenancy agreement is different.

Do you own…

Do you feel under valued as a cleaner?

I’m a cleaner as you know at a hospital. I’ve been doin g this job for years, not just at the hospital, but I’ve been a cleaner for a well known store and offices before where I am. But where I am as a cleaner I feel under valued. I know its not just me as others feel this too. If your a cleaner, do you feel the same? Please feel free and take the time to vote too. 

Deaf Awareness

Do you think Deaf Awareness should be compulsory in a work place? I think it would help if it was.

When people approach me about my deafness and ask questions I can happily chat about it, and go on as long as they want me to. But starting it off myself I find hard. I have work colleagues that know I’m HOH, and as you know I wear a badge there too. But some who know how my deafness effects me, don’t act accordingly as they should. I find a conversation has started, but I wasn’t aware and they wonder why I look blank.

In my job on a ward, I was pointed out a particular area to me that needed doing, but the way she approached I thought she was talking to someone past me, as she did not look like she was looking at me. It was only when I glanced up I seen her pointing at some soil on the floor, that I was working my way round to, that I knew it was me in the end she was speaking to after all, as I’m the only cleaner there!

 Also on this same area I clean, which I’ve been doing for a few years now, there are still some staff there that were originally there when I first started cleaning on this ward. But some have seem to forgot my deafness, although my deafness was made fully aware at the beginning. I get asked to do something and I’m not aware cos I did not hear my name be called, and they did not make sure I was looking at them first before speaking. The newer staff members seem to do a better job getting this right! I’ve had one of the original staff members come right up near me, only for me to bump into them when I turn around cos I did not hear them. Although this has not happened for sometime now.

Let me know what you think about this, and place your vote too! Thanks!

Do you hide or show off your hearing aids?

I remember when I first started to wear my hearing aids I wanted to cover them up, then slowly over a few months I gradually started to tie my hair back, until it was all tied back. Now I don’t mind showing my hearing aids off, so I wear my hair as I feel, except for when I’m at work in which I do have to tie it back there.

In fact I think I purposely tie it back sometimes just to show them off, as so it saves me mentioning I’m HOH. But because I speak ok as other people say, they don’t see my hearing aids unless I mention about my hearing problem. Sometimes it starts off a conversation with some people when they find out, which I don’t mind as it gets the message across.

I’ve done a poll below to see if you hide or show off your hearing aids, so please vote. It doesn’t matter what type of hearing aid you wear.

For those in the public sector

In previous topic I discussed about wearing badges. I wear a badge at my workplace to show I’m a lipreader. See previous post. As I mentioned in this post I don’t have the confidence to wear it at any other time.

This poll is for those who work in the public sector. Would you like to see us wearing a badge? Would it help your job you do if we did? Please leave your answer in the poll below, and any comments you feel you like to add would be welcome.

Do you wear a badge in public?

Do you wear in public a badge to let other people you know that your Deaf? I wear a badge but just at work as this is only where I feel comfortable wearing it, (which is the one in the picture I currently use) although I’m aware if I felt comfortable to wear it at all other times then it would help people who don’t know me. The reason I don’t wear in public outside of work is because I don’t want to be at an advantage of being mugged, should someone think I was easy prey because of my deafness. Which I think is sad. What views do you have on this matter. Please feel free to leave a comment and also to take the time to put your vote on my poll below.