Shared British Sign Language Plan for Lanarkshire (plan 2 2024-2030)
| Title | Shared British Sign Language Plan for Lanarkshire (plan 2 2024-2030) |
|---|---|
| Aims and Objectives | This is the second shared BSL Local Plan for Lanarkshire covering the work of NHS Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council. It was co-produced in partnership with the Deaf and Deafblind BSL communities of Lanarkshire: Deaf Services Lanarkshire, Deafblind Scotland, D.E.A.F. South Lanarkshire and Lanarkshire Deaf Club. This group has continued to be the driving force for monitoring and delivering the ambitions of the first local plan since 2018. The Shared plan will impact on Lanarkshire's Deaf and Deafblind BSL community including, Deaf and Deafblind BSL users, their families, people who support them, and staff in both local authorities and NHS. As a first step the BSL Steering Group considered the new National Plan and how its priorities and long-term goals could be aligned within our local context. To do this it held a one-day workshop to consider: - Our priorities and long-term goals - Actions which required to be carried over from our first Local Plan; and - New actions needed in relation to the new priorities. Once this exercise was complete a first draft of the new plan was developed. The Lanarkshire BSL Steering Group again met in March 2024 where the draft Plan was agreed as ready for consultation with the wider community. A programme of consultation and engagement was then developed which included: - the draft Plan being uploaded onto our websites in BSL and in English along with an on-line questionnaire and people were invited to comment. - hosting a face to face event with the BSL community to discuss the Shared Plan; and - within our own organisations seeking the views of services who would have a part to play in ensuring the Plan is progressed. Feedback was used to prepare this Second Shared BSL Plan for Lanarkshire. The Shared Plan mirrors the National BSL Plan which aims to make Scotland the best place in the world for BSL signers to live, learn, work and visit. This local plan has those same aspirations for Lanarkshire and aims to both improve: the use of and understanding of British Sign Language in Lanarkshire; and the lives of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users living in Lanarkshire. The Plan for Lanarkshire sets out actions around ten priority areas: 1. Delivering the Lanarkshire BSL Local Plan 2024-2030 2. BSL Accessibility 3. Children, Young People and their Families 4. Access to Employment 5. Health and Wellbeing 6. Celebrating BSL Culture 7. BSL Data 8. Transport 9. Access to Justice 10. Democratic Participation |
| Conclusion | The Shared BSL Plan for Lanarkshire sets out the actions we will take from 2018 to 2024 and how we will:- - improve communication and access to services for people who use BSL in Lanarkshire and - promote the use of and understanding of BSL across our areas of authority. Consultation and engagement events revealed that Deaf and Deafblind BSL users had difficulties in accessing public services, particularly in relation to information and obtaining appropriate interpretation services. The purpose of this plan is to provide more access to information and services for people who are Deaf and Deafblind BSL users across Lanarkshire. If we take account of the feedback from the engagement and consultations and act on it, we should be able to do this in a way that will be more inclusive. Therefore it is not envisaged that this plan will have negative impacts. The plan will be monitored in line with Scottish Government guidance and progress will be reported through the usual committees. As the Steering group will remain in place, we will take guidance from them on changes that might need to be needed to the plan. Developing the plan will help to address gaps in provision specifically raising employee awareness of Deaf culture, making information more accessible in written format both in writing and online. This plan will help to make accessing public services including council and NHS services easier for Deaf and Deafblind BSL users of all ages across Lanarkshire. The BSL Steering group will be responsible for monitoring and reviewing the impact the Plan is having on the lives of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users and that the long-term goals are realised. |
| Completion date | 1/5/24 |
| Contact Email address | equalities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk |
| Area | Council Wide |