Central Scotland MSP congratulates local charity on job club success
Central Scotland regional MSP Graham Simpson has congratulated local charity Lanarkshire Deaf Club on its immediate job club success as members have secured a job in the same month the job club began. Lanarkshire Deaf Club set up its own job club in January this year and has already seen 2 members begin new jobs in Lanarkshire.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing can find it difficult to attend the Job Centre or job interviews without interpreters who can use sign language to communicate. Mr Simpson said “I am extremely impressed with the initiative taken by Lanarkshire Deaf Club to create their own job club, with the success of securing 2 new jobs in its first month I hope the job club will go from strength to strength.”
Mr Simpson visited Lanarkshire Deaf Club to discuss the recent funding award they received from the Big Lottery Fund; the club received a £5000 grant. This money will be used to host a day of celebration on 25 March under the banner of ‘Loving Lanarkshire Deaf’.
Mr Simpson said “I think one can take for granted to be able to go outside, shop, get on a bus, go to work and communicate with everyone around us as we do so. The reality is so different for people who are deaf. I hope that awareness can be raised and through community work teaching British Sign Language, more opportunities are available for deaf people”.
Ian Galloway, Project Manager at the Lanarkshire Deaf Club said “I feel it is important that local business, services and the wider community are more aware of the needs of the Deaf community. I would like to see Lanarkshire as a place of excellence where hearing and Deaf people are able to access services and communicate freely with each other. British Sign Language is our first language and not English as many people mistakenly think. Lanarkshire Deaf Club provides basic sign language training to businesses and offers the Level 1 course to anyone who is interested”. Ian Galloway can be contacted via email on [email protected].
Photo shows Graham Simpson with Lanarkshire Deaf Club staff Ian Galloway and Rachael Griffiths.