Board meeting summary – August 2021
Rhian Yates, Chair, shares some of the topics discussed at the last NZSL Board meeting
- Changes to the NZSL Board Secretariat. The work of the NZSL Board has changed since it was set up in 2015. The Office for Disability Issues has provided Secretariat support for the Board. A recent review of the Board work programme shows significant changes which need more work to successfully maintain and promote NZSL. We look forward to the announcement from ODI about what these changes will be.
- Welcome David McKee and Eric Matthews as new members. Welcome back Rhian Yates as the Chair for another 3 years.
- The Board thanks David Brown for his work over the last three years as a Board member.
- The Board have received information from the consultation on NZSL Interpreter Standards and is identifying work to support the NZSL interpreter workforce.
- The Board are pleased to see the Māori Deaf hui being held around the country and being led by the Māori Deaf Board members.
- This is the first year the Board have been able to forecast ahead for the financial year after setting up new timeframes for the NZSL community grants and other funding opportunities for NZSL projects.
- The Board will provide the opportunity to tender for a three-year contract to deliver NZSL week (2023-2025). The Board want to hear from any Deaf community members on what NZSL week means for the Deaf and hearing community. Please submit a YouTube or Vimeo video link of up to 3 minutes with your thoughts.
- Work on the NZSL Strategy indicators means that we need to understand the NZSL community about your experience of using NZSL in New Zealand as they relate to the NZSL Strategy. A community survey will be developed and released early in 2022.
- A Working Group will be set up in 2022 to understand the needs of NZSL learners and to identify any work that can be done to support quality and consistent opportunities for learning NZSL for all ages - from pre-school to adults, from a general interest topic to supporting professionals in a range of settings, such as schools.
- The Board commissioned a report to understand how the community use NZSL translations. This report provided important information on how to make information accessible for the Deaf community.