In this blog, Glen, a young guy who volunteers with NDCS, the National Deaf Children’s Society, shares his views about their recent resource “A Template for Success”. The goal of this resource is to make sure that young deaf people who are getting ready to leave school have the support they need to make a positive move on to college, uni, training or work.

NDCS young volunteer Glen meeting with an MSP and Minister

The intro to Template for Success states this goal really well: ‘Everyone who works with deaf young people needs the knowledge and the skills to advise, support and encourage them not only to make the right decisions, but to make a success of whatever they choose to do. Everyone involved needs to make sure that deaf young people are encouraged to be ambitious and are ready to take the opportunities offered to them.’

“Speaking from personal experience”, writes our young guest blogger Glen, “a successful move from school involves many factors – advising deaf young people on their choices post-school, moving from children’s to adult services, and supporting the deaf young person as they make the transition from relying on others, to becoming independent.”

Glen thinks the move from school can be “a chaotic and uncertain time of life for all teenagers. There are often high expectations to succeed, with added pressure of exams and deciding on a future career or college/university course. It can be a very difficult time of life, especially if someone just doesn’t know what to do after school. As a deaf young person, life can be even tougher, as many young deaf people rely on certain support, or are used to their communication being handled by others, so leaving this supportive environment can be daunting.”

Glen feels that his own experiences show some of the challenges that deaf school leavers may face, and why it’s so important that professionals work closely with young deaf people to help them plan a positive move on from school. Having got a place at university, Glen had to “work with the university disability department to arrange the support. But the university staff didn’t have much experience of deaf students, so there were delays in getting vital equipment. I was moving from child to adult services for deaf people at the time – and sadly the hearing aids I had got from the child service were not offered on the adult service. Without the right hearing aids, everyday life becomes much more difficult. Luckily, I was able to resolve my issues,and I am now very happy at this stage in my life.”

Glen thinks that “A Template for Success” is a resource that should be read by all young deaf people, their parents and the professionals who support them, to help them to understand the challenges for deaf school leavers:”By being prepared and having a good understanding, leaving school becomes much less daunting, and far more likely to be a positive first experience of the world outside of high school!”

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“A Template for Success” is a joint project between NDCS, Skills Development Scotland and Donaldson’s School.  Read more about it here.

Glen is a young deaf person volunteering at NDCS. As well as being involved with “A Template for Success”, Glen has also given talks to parents who have just found out their children are deaf, and also to MPs about why it’s important that new buildings in Scotland have the right set up and equipment to support the needs of deaf people.