Deaf Connect is excited to give Australians exposure to sign language with ‘Traffic Signs,’ a nationwide campaign in celebration of National Week of Deaf People (NWDP)
NWDP is an initiative by Deaf Australia running from Monday 23 September to Sunday 29 September. This important week is an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate Deaf culture and our national sign language – Auslan.
Deaf Connect CEO Brett Casey stated that Deaf Connect is excited to launch the ‘Traffic Signs’ campaign this week and shine a light on Auslan and its value to the Deaf community.
Mr Casey said:
“This month-long campaign is a first for Australia and is a step towards fostering a more connected and Deaf-aware nation. We are inviting the public to learn Auslan on the go and find out more about the Deaf community and our vibrant culture. Traffic Signs is a national campaign, headlined in Brisbane by our collaboration with goa. Through goa’s Community Partnerships Program, the team have generously supported Deaf Connect in bringing the campaign to life.”
“Following the success and enthusiasm surrounding last year’s ‘This is your Sign’ campaign, we’re excited to integrate Auslan learning into the daily commute of people across Australia. The campaign shows a variety of easy-to-learn Auslan signs, designed to spark conversations, challenge stereotypes, and encourage Australians to embrace Deaf culture and community. National Week of Deaf People is an opportunity for all of Australia to celebrate Deaf language, culture, and heritage. Through this public education effort, we aim to advance towards a future that is accessible and inclusive for everyone.”
goa’s Chief Operating Officer, Deb Langham, said this Traffic Signs campaign was a fantastic initiative that bought educational innovation into the outdoor space:
“We are proud to support the fantastic work that Deaf Connect does in our community, and this Traffic signs campaign was one that we wanted to spearhead in Queensland. This campaign uses outdoor to cleverly educate a broad audience in a way that can lead to meaningful inclusion for the Deaf community.”
Deaf Connect Chief Services Officer, Brent Phillips, stated that the campaign is an exciting way to share elements of Deaf culture and amplify awareness of the Deaf community at local, state, and national levels.
“We invite organisations and allies to join us in strengthening connections with Deaf people and supporting their linguistic and cultural rights. W e urge communities, governments and businesses to collectively recognise Auslan as an integral part of our diverse linguistic landscape. This initiative is both a celebration and a call to action, offering a meaningful opportunity for society to engage in promoting Deaf awareness and solidarity on a national scale.”
Throughout this week many Deaf organisations, including Deaf Connect and Deaf Australia, are hosting events and projects for the Deaf community. Monday 23 September also marks International Day of Sign Languages, an opportunity for the global Deaf community to celebrate the diversity of the more than 300 internationally recognised sign languages in use today.
Join us in celebrating the National Week of Deaf People – click here to find out more about Deaf Connect’s events in your area.
ABOUT DEAF CONNECT
Deaf Connect is the largest whole-of-life service provider and social impact organisation for Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing Australians.
We stand with the Deaf community to build capacity and influence social change while paying respect to history, culture and language.
We are the largest employer of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in Australia, a registered provider under the National Disability Insurance Scheme and an approved provider of in-home care for seniors.
Deaf Connect is the country's largest Auslan interpreting agency and provides training in sign language through our RTO (RTO Provider Number 41192).
The National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) is a week-long national celebration of Deaf individuals and the Australian Deaf community, which includes celebrating the International Week of Deaf People (IWDP) and International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) (23 September 2023) which are initiatives of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD).
These two events are traditionally held during September and are based on the founding date of the WFD (23 September 1951).
This is an opportunity for Deaf people to celebrate their communities, language, culture and history; make the public aware of their local, state and national Deaf communities; and to recognise their achievements. It is also an opportunity for organisations involved with or wishing to be involved with the Deaf Community to build and maintain relationships with Deaf people and be recognised as an ally to the Deaf community.
The 2024 Theme is “Sign Up For Sign Language Rights.”
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