Listen To The Sound of My Hands

Inclusive Youth Information Award category

Listen To The Sound of My Hands

Organisation

GURSU MUNICIPALITY

Country

Türkiye

WEBSITE

http://www.eurodeskbursa.com/

Project link

https://www.instagram.com/eurodeskgursu

General Overview

We aimed to examine the difficulties experienced in meeting our common denominator, ‘Communication’, from another perspective, specifically through the lens of deaf individuals. With a 10-day youth exchange, we carried out our project with 40 participants aged 18-30 from 5 different countries. We drew attention in the field of education to the normalisation of learning and spreading sign language, highlighting the barriers to communication faced by our disadvantaged group, and emphasised the need for curriculum development and workspace in this field.

We implemented video lectures and practical training, allowing deaf individuals living in Europe and Türkiye, who use regional sign languages and have difficulties understanding each other due to these differences, to communicate more healthily and positively by teaching both International and Turkish Sign Language.

To change the reservations of deaf individuals about going abroad due to the language barrier, we increased their self-confidence by providing motivation to hearing-impaired individuals through National Sign Language instruction by our interpreters and trainers. At the same time, we raised awareness by introducing deaf individuals and sign language to the participants who had not previously shared the same environment with hearing-impaired individuals and had no idea about the language used by deaf individuals. We supported communication and social participation by enabling each participant to empathise with the deaf individuals around them.

As a result of our sessions, we made arrangements to make our Eurodesk Contact Point, which we run as Gürsu Municipality, more accessible to disadvantaged people. Our staff learned sign language, we diversified the direction and information signs, and we put into service an information document prepared using the Braille Alphabet in our office for both hearing and visually impaired individuals. In this way, with the awareness we have gained, we are at the service of our young people as an accessible Eurodesk.

Thematic Category Correspondence

(50 points max)

How does this initiative (project, event, material) correspond to the thematic category

With our project, which aims to increase access to information and youth opportunities for disadvantaged individuals with hearing impairments, we have contributed to providing inclusive information for young people. We encouraged young people to get involved in Erasmus+ international youth programmes and reduced barriers to participation. We supported the inclusion goals of the European Union by enhancing the accessibility of information networks such as Eurodesk. By teaching and disseminating sign language, we have not only strengthened the position of hearing-impaired individuals in society but also fostered an inclusive perspective among other young people who learnt this language.

Moreover, with the digital materials we prepared during the execution of our project, we supported individuals experiencing this disadvantage to benefit from youth opportunities by facilitating the learning of sign language through digital technologies. Thus, we alleviated the difficulties faced by disadvantaged groups and supported their active participation.

Through this project, we ensured that hearing-impaired individuals made their voices heard. We supported hearing-impaired young people in participating more in projects by ensuring they are better represented in democratic processes. An example of this is one of our hearing-impaired participants, Samet, who, as a result of our project, opened his own association and began preparations to carry out international projects.

With the experiences we gained through our project, our office staff learnt sign language, we diversified the direction and information signs, and we provided an information document prepared using the Braille Alphabet in our office for both hearing- and visually-impaired individuals. In this way, with the awareness we have gained, we continue to provide services to our young people as the only Eurodesk Office in Türkiyethat is accessible to all disadvantaged individuals.

Impact

(30 points max)

How did your project impact young people / your community?

We raised awareness about sign language and the challenges faced by hearing-impaired individuals. We helped participants understand the value of diversity and develop empathy skills. Young people who learnt sign language were able to communicate directly with hearing-impaired individuals and overcome the language barrier. Thus, we enabled them to become more inclusive individuals in their social and professional lives. Young people who took an active role in the project gained new skills and increased their self-confidence. Hearing-impaired young people, in particular, felt more strongly that they are part of society.

Young people who received sign language training discovered areas of work in interpreting or inclusive projects. We increased the visibility of hearing-impaired individuals in society and reduced prejudices. We have supported a transformation process in society to include these individuals more. With our project, we have enabled the creation of accessible spaces, activities, and materials for the hearing-impaired. We have taken steps in this direction as municipalities and local institutions.

We have strengthened intercultural dialogue. Thanks to our project, we have set an example for other youth groups or institutions. Motivation was provided to develop inclusive projects. We spread the effects of our project to the whole society as young people who received sign language training in our project taught this skill to others. We have developed a more sensitive approach to the needs of hearing-impaired individuals throughout society.

At the end of our project, we continue our preparations for the creation of new policies at municipal or national levels. In the feedback we received from the young people participating in the project, they said that they will take an active role in society by participating in more social responsibility projects in the future.

Green Focus

(10 points max)

Did your project have any green focus and/or did you implement any eco-friendly measures when organising it?

Digital materials (PDFs, videos, digital presentations) were used, and physical printing was minimised. We supported environmentally friendly projects by reducing paper consumption and encouraged students to use public transport and car sharing. Workshop materials were sourced from local and environmentally friendly sources. Disposable plastic products were not used; reusable sets were preferred. Recycling bins were provided for participants to separate their waste.

Environmental awareness was emphasised by incorporating environmental words and expressions in sign language learning activities. Care was taken to ensure that the venue was an energy-efficient or environmentally friendly building. Energy consumption was reduced by preferring outdoor activities. Our own fruit saplings were planted to protect greenery and nature, and a certain number of fruit saplings purchased from the Gürsulu farmer were added to the farmer’s economy.

A workshop titled ‘Art of Recycling’ and an event named ‘Silent Walking in Nature and Sign Language Training – Ecological Fashion with Signs’ were organised.

Inclusive Youth Information Award category