People are being invited to comment on proposals to promote the use of British Sign Language locally.
East Dunbartonshire Council is working with Deafblind Scotland and deafscotland to consult on the draft British Sign Language (BSL) Local Plan 2018-2024.
It aims to:
- Improve communication and access to services for people who use BSL in East Dunbartonshire
- Promote the use of and understanding of BSL across the Council area.
People are being invited to comment on the draft BSL Local Plan until 4 September 2018.
The plan is available in BSL on YouTube - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ6TSzQ3rz4&list=PLPdVSMMiEvNA2JWsYgTDJSgvd9xN96RuW – and in English on the Deafblind Scotland website - https://dbscotland.org.uk/
You can e-mail comments in BSL or English to edc.bsl@dbsotland.org.uk
Alternatively, a meeting can be arranged with a BSL user consultant for small groups or one-to-one sessions. E-mail edc.bsl@dbsotland.org.uk to organise a date and time.
In addition there will be public events, fully accessible for BSL first language users, where you can comment:
- Kirkintilloch Town Hall (Lesser Hall) 7pm-10pm on Thursday 30 August
- Kilmardinny House (Raeburn Room) 1pm-4pm on Saturday 1 September.
Joint Council Leader, Councillor Vaughan Moody, said, “I hope as many people as possible – particularly those who use BSL – can spare the time to read the draft plan and provide their views on how we can promote and develop BSL locally.”
Joint Council Leader, Councillor Andrew Polson, added, “As an authority we are committed to ensuring services and facilities are accessible to all. Please make sure you give your views.”
East Dunbartonshire Council’s draft BSL Local Plan covers areas such as:
- Access to public services
- Family support, early learning and childcare
- School education
- Training, work and social security
- Health including social care, mental health and wellbeing
- Transport
- Culture and the arts
- Justice
- Democracy.
It ties in with the Scottish Government’s BSL National Plan – containing 10 long-term goals and 70 actions – which was written in partnership with BSL users across Scotland and published in 2017.
Look out for updates via the Council’s Facebook - www.facebook.com/edunbartonshirecouncil - and Twitter (@EDCouncil) feeds, and also Deafblind Scotland - https://dbscotland.org.uk/, www.facebook.com/dbscotland and @dbscotland
Follow us on Twitter @EDCouncil or like us at www.facebook.com/edunbartonshirecouncil