NZSL Board meeting August 2024

The NZSL Board has had two meetings recently, on 26 & 27 July, and on 16 & 17 August.

Before I share information about the two Board meetings, the Board wants to acknowledge the changes recently announced at Whaikaha. We want to reassure the community that the changes do not directly impact the NZSL Board and the strategic work it does.

The Board also acknowledges the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care report recently and acknowledges the survivors who shared their stories. Whaikaha will be contributing to work on the public apology and redress for survivors.

From the July meeting

1. The NZSL Board and Te Rōpū Kaitiaki had a two-day hui, which was full of positive connections and relationship building.
2. The Strategy, Action Plan and Terms of Reference for Te Rōpū Kaitiaki was discussed.
3. We also met with representatives from the Ministry of Education to have a discussion on the importance of NZSL in education for Deaf students. The Board and Te Rōpū Kaitiaki will continue to work with the Ministry of Education through the Sector Advisory Group and other engagement with Whaikaha, to ensure the improvement of Deaf Education and access to NZSL in education.

From the August meeting

1. The Board was joined by two representatives from Te Rōpū Kaitiaki for its meeting to share Turi Māori perspectives. The Board plans to do this for our meetings moving forward.
2. The Board met with the Commissioner and Acting Principal of Ko Taku Reo to gain a deeper understanding of current challenges with Deaf education from the perspective of Ko Taku Reo, and to discuss our shared objectives in improving education for Deaf students.
3. The Board has decided to keep Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) on hold for the foreseeable future, to allow the Board and Whaikaha to prioritise and focus on other work. The Board and Whaikaha will be focusing on the use of NZSL in Deaf education, the interpreter standards work, and the refresh of the NZSL Strategy.
4. A review of the Community Grants process is in progress. The Board discussed proposed changes to make the grants more accessible and equitable. Watch out for more information from Whaikaha on the NZSL Board website and Facebook page.
5. The Board also planned strategically for engagement with Ministers, including building an understanding of this Government’s priorities and how these priorities link to our Strategy and other work.
6. Lastly, the Board was joined by a governance coach, who helped us all to better understand the roles of the Board, Te Rōpū Kaitiaki, and Whaikaha. We are looking forward to a continued relationship with the governance coach.