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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Canadian Hearing Society launches new program in London, Ontario to assist newcomers who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing

LONDON, ON (September 25, 2013) – Today, the Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) launched the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program at its London office with the funding support of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

As part of the program launch and in celebration of International Week of the Deaf, students in the inaugural LINC program signed “O Canada” in American Sign Language (ASL) at an Open House where community service and government organizations were recognized for their partnership and collaboration.

Madan Gurung was one of the first students to benefit from the LINC program in London. He came to Canada last year as a Bhutanese refugee from Nepal. Gurung knew Nepalese Sign Language but he didn’t speak either of Canada’s official languages or ASL. How would he make a life for himself and his family in Canada?

CHS and community partners worked to help Gurung and his family make the transition with language training and life skills in English and ASL. 

“It’s been great being able to come to CHS to read and write English, and learn ASL, it’s been a very positive experience,” said Gurung, through an ASL-English Interpreter. “Since enrolling in the program, I have learned how to use a debit card, order food and take the bus, it has made my daily life easier.”

When the family moved to London, Ontario from Nepal in 2012, they were referred to CHS by the Cross Cultural Learning Centre. CHS worked to bring the LINC program to its London office to support Gurung and six other Deaf refugees. For the past 20 years, CHS has partnered with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to deliver the LINC program to those who are Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing in Peel Region. But this program was not available anywhere else in Ontario, until this past Spring when the London program open its doors.

“I had always been a little afraid of getting out and taking the bus, or making a call to the doctor’s office for an appointment, but now it’s easier and I’m getting out more, I’m using email and TTY [text telephones]. I may even go to Toronto,” he said. “I was quite fearful at first actually, fearful that Canada would be the same war-torn country as Nepal, but over time I figured out that that wasn’t the case. It would have been very difficult without the program, and I think I would have still been fearful today.”

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Gurung was among a group of seven people, four of whom are his family members who are also Deaf, taking language and life skills training classes at CHS since mid-April including learning how to navigate the banking system, transportation, medical appointments and communication tools and devices. 

“CHS is proud to partner with the many community service organizations that collaborate to provide this service to community members who are Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing,” said CHS President and CEO Chris Kenopic. “What touches me the most is how everyone came together to support this group of people until we got the funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada to put the program in place.”

Community service organizations that collaborated to support the group of seven Deaf refugees were the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre; the Life Resource Centre; ATN Access for Persons with Disabilities Inc.; the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities; the Adult ESL/LINC Program with the School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education of the Thames Valley District School Board; the London InterCommunity Health Centre; and CHS.

The service providers held a number of community meetings to determine the best solutions to meet the needs of the newcomers. While waiting for the formalized program to begin, there were language classes provided through ATN Access for Persons with Disabilities Inc. When Citizenship and Immigration Canada became aware of this gap in community services, they actively pursued funding in order to establish the LINC program in London.

For more information about the program contact Marilyn Reid, Regional Director, CHS London at 519-667-3325 ext 225.

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About The Canadian Hearing Society

The Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) was incorporated in 1940 to provide services, products and information to culturally Deaf, oral deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing people and to educate the hearing public.  CHS is governed by a board of directors, the majority of whom are Deaf, oral deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing.  The organization is funded by government, internal revenue generation including fundraising, and the United Way.

Unique in North America, CHS offers a complete roster of essential services under one roof through 28 offices including sign language interpreting to bridge the gap between Deaf and hearing people; one-on-one language development for deaf children using play as the medium of learning; employment services; sign language instruction; speechreading training; and, the most complete range of communication devices that assist and augment communication including TTYs (text telephones), visual smoke detectors, baby monitors and alarm clocks.

www.chs.ca

Watch a video of the LINC students signing “O Canada” in American Sign Language here

Media contact:

Marie-Lauren Gregoire
Communications Manager
Canadian Hearing Society
416-928-2500 x 272
mgregoire@chs.ca