Experience and Qualifications
Working with people with a hearing loss didn’t feature on my career wish list as a young person, it was more likely to involve horses than people.
However the hearing loss found me and opened up a career path that has enabled me to learn about and support people with a hearing loss across the whole spectrum of the
Social Model of Disability and become an expert in the field of Communication and Awareness.
Training
My initial training started when I joined the very 1 st CACDP BSL introduction course
at Llandrillio College in 1991.
While learning Sign Language I started training to become a Lipreading Teacher at Manchester Metropolitan University. Although there was a slight historical conflict of communication theory, learning to sign and teach lipreading actually worked well together and from both courses I was able to create the Deaf Awareness and Communication Course I still teach today.
I also enjoyed a return to Manchester to teach on the Lipreading Course as well as the Lipspeaking course.
My next qualification was a Technical and Rehabilitation Officer from the City Lit in London in 2007.
The group came together from all over the UK, mostly rural areas and we had a tremendous time.
As the college was located in Covent Garden we also did a bit of shopping and sightseeing too!
As usual with “Techies” we had all been doing the job for a number of years before qualifying.
This had its advantages in that we could all share and benefit from each other’s experiences, and share tips and wrinkles of the trade.
For 23 years I followed a career with North Wales Deaf Association assessing people for
Social Services, advising and signposting to various services along with teaching Deaf Awareness for Health and Social Services, Education, voluntary
and the private sector.
Naturally I have built up a very wide range of contacts in all areas of hearing loss including equipment suppliers Sarabec, Sound Advantage, AoHL, Solutions, HPI, BT and
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Formal Qualifications
Certificate of Further Education Speech Reading Teaching to Adults
Diploma B tech Technical and Rehabilitation with Adults
Diploma B tech Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector
Member of Organisations:
Technical Officers Association
Association of Lipreading Teachers to Adults
Federation of Small Businesses
Education Workforce Council
Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate
& Public Indemnity Insurance held along with Full Driving Licence