The lives of people with hearing issues are being transformed by care staff through sign language, says UNISON.
Care workers are being taught to use British Sign Language (BSL) through a new course delivered between the union and the charity Innovate Trust.
The partnership work between UNISON and Innovate Trust, was this week recognised by the Learning and Work Institute at their national awards in Cardiff.
Social care workers say the course delivered by UNISON’s Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) in partnership with Innovate has strengthened relationships between them and those they care for.
A care worker who took part in the BSL course said: “Since doing the course, I’ve been able to communicate better with the people I care for.
“With one man I support, you can see by the smile on his face, that he’s appreciative and he’s not feeling so isolated.”
Another care worker said: “I wanted to do it because we have a lot of clients with hearing difficulties and speech impediments.
“This makes it difficult for them to be understood. It lets me speak to everybody that I wouldn’t normally be able to communicate with.
“I can have a proper conversation with them and understand exactly what they need and want.”
UNISON Cymru/Wales regional manager Andy Rutherford said: “This initiative helps care workers gain skills which directly helps the people, families, and communities that Innovate Trust supports.”
Innovate Trust staff development manager Donna Miller (pictured above left) said: “I’ve been working with UNISON for over a year now and we’ve struck up a really good, strong relationship in terms of delivering training opportunities for our workforce.”
