This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team at CfD (Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People). This new wide-ranging role will support the delivery of our community development work within our “Deaf People Together: in charge of our own futures” project, funded by Bristol City Council’s Bristol Impact Fund. The role will also include supporting the development of other exciting new initiatives from CfD.
We welcome applications from people who understand the Deaf Community and the needs of hard of hearing people of all ages. You will be enthusiastic and passionate about Deaf and hard of hearing issues. You will be an outstanding communicator who believes in people organising themselves and who wants to support Deaf and hard of hearing people to set up activities. You will be enthusiastic about working towards making Bristol a city that is more inclusive of Deaf and hard of hearing people.
This is a temporary post but we very much hope to be able to extend it for 18 months to 2 years, subject to funding.
Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People:
CfD is a small deaf-led charity that delivers a wide range of services including community development and assistive equipment services to people in Bristol who are Deaf, hard of hearing or deafened. As our mission statement says, we are working toward creating a Bristol “where everyone can participate in all aspects of life in the city, whatever their level of hearing”.
CfD challenges the prejudice and barriers that Deaf and hard of hearing people face in their daily lives. We are developing exciting new plans for activities that will contribute to our aims and promote equality for all deaf people.
Summary of duties:
The Project Worker will support the Community Development Officer (CDO) and the CEO to deliver the ‘Deaf People Together’ project. You will organise and facilitate project activities. You will work with the CfD team to increase the number of Deaf and hard of hearing people who are involved in the project, and in other CfD activities.
The Project Worker will also be involved in the development and delivery of new initiatives, such as:
Responsibilities:
Essential skills and competencies:
Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:
Things we expect all staff to support us with:
In return, you will receive:
About CfD Projects:
Deaf People Together
Launched in October 2021, the “Deaf People Together: In charge of our own futures” project aims to build community resilience and to empower local Deaf and hard of hearing people. The main activities of the project are to support the Deaf community and hard of hearing people to recognise their assets and to then build on these assets so that deaf people become more self-organised, engage more with CfD, and then help to plan the future strategy of CfD. The project also works to facilitate the creation and/or strengthening of user-led groups to achieve their self-determined aims. User-led groups can apply for a CfD Small Community Grant to support their activities and to help them reach more people.
Your role will be to support the CDO with the delivery of this project.
Welcoming Spaces
Launched in January 2023, the Welcoming Spaces project is funded by the Quartet Community Foundation, as part of their Bristol One City Social Action grant. The aim of the project is to support Deaf and hard of hearing people through the cost of living crisis. The project does this by working with Welcome Spaces across the city to ensure their spaces and cost of living activities are accessible for Deaf and hard of hearing people. The main project activities are to:
Your role will be to support the Community Development Officer to deliver the final parts of this project.
Deaf in the Covid Aftermath
This project is a collaboration with Gloucestershire Deaf Association (GDA) and Deaf Studies Trust. Deaf in the Covid Aftermath is a research project that will collect information about the lives of Deaf people, particularly after the effects of Covid. The project aim is to understand the damage and changes that have happened to community life. For example, the pandemic stopped deaf people’s gatherings, reduced their person-to-person interaction and (damaged/reduced/limited) their access to information. The project will work to collect Deaf views from interviews and present an analysis that can be used to rebuild community life and set up new services.
Your role will be to support CfD with delivering this project by promoting the project, assisting with scheduling interviews, and with recruiting participants.
Living with Hearing Loss
In 2020-21 CfD ran 4 sets of workshops called “Living with Hearing Loss”. The workshops were for hard of hearing people and their partners, carers or close family members. Topics covered included “the emotional effects of hearing loss”, “assistive technology” and “communication tactics”. The workshops were delivered through Zoom by a number of hard of hearing or Deaf tutors. Numbers of people attending were small but participants were very enthusiastic about the sessions.
CfD now wants to repeat these workshops. Your role will be to assist CfD with the development and delivery of these workshops, by:
Please complete the CfD application form, including a covering letter outlining why you would like to join the organisation and how your skills, knowledge and experience match the criteria in the job description and send to Rebekah Allen, Administrator, Email: office@cfd.org.uk by 2:00pm on Friday 23rd June 2023.
If you would like to discuss the role and the organisation, please contact Justin Smith, CEO, at office@cfd.org.uk in the first instance.
Interviews will be held on Wednesday 5th July 2023.