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.       

Who visit this blog… Are you hearing, HOH or Deaf?