Ministerial Foreword - Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
British Sign Language (BSL) is a vibrant and important language, with its own grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. It is a language that enables many Scottish Deaf and Deafblind citizens to learn, work, be creative and to make their contribution to our communities, our culture, and our economy. We are committed to making Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work, visit and learn. But, we recognise that there is more to do to achieve this ambition, and will continue to build to further promote and support BSL in Scotland.
The BSL National Plan 2017-2023 has delivered a range of actions and produced a strong foundation for us to build on as we embark on the new national plan for BSL in Scotland. Key successes include:
To develop Scotland’s BSL National Plan 2023-2029, we have established a Short Life Working Group, consisting of organisations representing the deaf, deafblind and BSL communities. I would like to thank the following organisations for their contributions to this group - the British Deaf Association, Deaf Action, Deafblind Scotland, National Deaf Children’s Society, Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Charity, and the Scottish Sensory Hub (The ALLIANCE). The collective experience from this group will be invaluable as they develop actions for the plan.
To inform the working group’s thinking, this consultation asks individuals, organisations and communities to offer their views on what actions are required to advance BSL in Scotland. I am committed to developing a six year strategy that sets the right conditions which will lead to an improved quality of life for deaf and deafblind people who live in Scotland.
Aberdeen Deaf Club
21 John Street
Aberdeen
AB25 1BT
Kirkcaldy Deaf Club
Wemyssfield House
Wemyssfield
Kirkcaldy, FY1 1XN
Tayside Deaf Hub
23 Brown Street
Dundee
DD1 5EF
St Vincents Deaf Club
144 West Regent Street
Glasgow
G2 2RQ
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89065312794?pwd=bGoyQjNtZEtablBiV29nV2Nnck53UT09
Meeting ID: 890 6531 2794
Passcode: 352775
Falkirk Deaf OAP Club
Forth Valley Sensory Centre
Redbrae Road
Camelon
Falkirk FK1 4DD
The Stove Network Café
100 High Street
Dumfries
DG1 2BJ
Hamilton Deaf Afternoon Club
St John’s Church of Scotland
10-14 Duke Street,
Hamilton ML3 7HT
Deaf LGBTQIA+
Contact Avril Hepner on avril.hepner@bda.org.uk for further details.
Community clients and carers
This session will be facilitated by Matthew Fenlon at:
Blackwood Bar
Deaf Action
49 Albany Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3QY
This event is for deaf young people aged 8 to 18 who live in Scotland, please email: cyp@ndcs.org.uk to sign up.
Contact Scotland BSL focused session
Contact james.barnes@bda.org.uk for further details
LGBTQIA+
This session will be facilitated by Carri Neilson at:
Brennan Room
Deaf Action
49 Albany Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3QY
Inverness Deaf Café
Spectrum Centre
1 Margaret Street
Inverness
IV1 1LS
Deaf LGBTQIA+
Contact Avril Hepner on avril.hepner@bda.org.uk for further details.
BSL Tutors
Contact Joanne Anderson for more details at: joanne.anderson@deafaction.org
Contact Scotland BSL focused session
Contact james.barnes@bda.org.uk for further details
Lanarkshire Deaf Club
105 Roman Road
Motherwell
ML1 1EA
LGBTQIA+
This session will be facilitated by Carri Neilson at:
Katies Bar
17 John Street
Glasgow
G1 1HP
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