AN innovative new project funded by Sport England which encourages more deaf people to be active and gain the skills to lead activities was launched on Saturday, October 6 at Haven Banks in Exeter.

The event was a full day of free, fun taster activities, workshops and presentations beginning with a Deaf Takeover of parkrun at 9am at Exeter’s Riverside parkrun.

Deaf Get Active and Volunteer is managed by Living Options Devon with support from Active Devon.

Drawing on research that shows deaf people are often keen to involve family and friends when being active and like to get involved in activities that integrate both the hearing and deaf communities the programme is rolling out a variety of fully inclusive activities aimed at welcoming both hearing and deaf people.

“Deaf Get Active and Volunteer is working with a wide range of activity providers to adapt their sessions to be both welcoming and inclusive for deaf people,” said Lorraine Harris from Active Devon who is one of the project team bringing the Deaf Get Active programme to life.

“By setting up some buddying and mentoring arrangements we are demonstrating that once given the skills and confidence, deaf people can be amazing volunteers who in turn inspire more deaf people to give activity a try.”

The three-year Deaf Get Active and Volunteer programme offers a rich variety of ways for the deaf community to engage with and have access to new opportunities to be active right across Devon.

The programme is managed by a mixed team of deaf and hearing people brokering relationships with partners to offer inclusive, welcoming experiences to the deaf community. They also use a diverse group of ambassadors to show how to get involved with and lead active projects as a deaf person in Devon.

Deaf people are being inspired to set up clubs and sessions of their own.  All Deaf Get Active volunteers will have the chance to support sessions with BSL and work alongside hearing coaches to co-deliver activity sessions.

Deaf Get Active and Volunteer has been rolling out this model through a number of Devon’s parkruns with volunteers involved in signing for deaf participants and supporting them to take their first steps into activity.

Volunteers have the chance to take part in an Effective Communications course which is being offered at no charge from UK Deaf Sport. Further Deaf Awareness training sessions will be offered throughout the project duration to partners.