British Deaf Association
The British Deaf Association (BDA) was formed in Leeds as The British Deaf and Dumb Association (BDDA) on 24th July 1890, with the purpose to “elevate the education and social status” of Deaf people in the United Kingdom.
In the 1970s, the BDA started to provide a number of community-based services, to achieve its aims of empowering Deaf people to overcome difficulties that they face on a daily basis. The BDA is now the UK’s leading membership organisation and registered charity run by Deaf people for Deaf people.
The Challenge
The BDA has a number of staff across the country that have been designated safeguarding lead responsibilities and wanted to bring them together to receive Level 3 safeguarding adults training. In delivering the training the facilitator would be working alongside two sign language interpreters.
Having trained the Safeguarding Leads, the BDA recomissioned Athena as they were then keen to raise awareness and understanding of safeguarding both children and adults with the members of the BDA Youth Board.
The Athena Solution
Athena proposed an interactive one-day course that would be delivered at their Head Office in London. The course addressed the safeguarding responsibilities in accordance with the Care Act 2014, the main principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and a focus on increasing the confidence and understanding of safer practice and safe relationships with clients.
To raise awareness of safeguarding with the members of the BDA Youth Board, Athena proposed an interactive one-day Level 1 Safeguarding Children and Adults course that would be delivered at their Head Office in London.
The Outcome
Using the BDA Safeguarding Policy and Procedures as a golden thread, Athena developed and designed a bespoke Level 3 Safeguarding Adults course. Using our creative and visual activities and quizzes we worked closely with the interpreters in delivering the course. Sitting and watching an interpreter during a course can become very tiring so as we evaluated the knowledge and understanding of the delegates throughout the day we adjusted the delivery to meet the individual needs of the delegates. Athena provided a supporting handout with signposting to relevant websites for further information. Finally, a course evaluation and an attainment certificate were forwarded on completion of the course.
On the day of the BDA Youth Board training, Athena again worked closely with two interpreters to deliver the course. We again evaluated the knowledge and understanding of the delegates throughout the day adjusting the delivery to meet the individual needs of the delegates who had not undertaken safeguarding training previously.
BDA staff that attended the Level 3 Safeguarding Adults course said it was “visually very good with fun exercises” and that they enjoyed “teamwork and sharing experiences”.
Members of the BDA Youth Board that participated in the Level 1 Safeguarding Children and Adults course said it was, “high quality information and explanation”, “good learning and fun” and “it was very relaxing with a good balance of slides and activities”.