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Description
In view of the small deaf population in Poland (approximately 50,000 people who use sign language in Poland according to CSO estimates) there is little representation of this group in the smaller towns. For this reason, the normal-hearing majority (government clerks, doctors, specialists) come into contact with deaf people and their needs less often, and there is less accessibility to services for deaf people. Deaf people experience exclusion due to the communication barrier practically at every stage, anywhere they wish to use public services. The project addresses the problem of the inadequate measures taken by public authorities to fulfil effectively the obligations provided for in the Act on Sign Language and in the Act on Accessibility - giving deaf people access to public services. We will train deaf people to act as self-advocates with respect to defending the right to accessibility (workshops conducted in Polish sign language). We will monitor to determine whether this right is respected in municipalities and local districts in the Łódź Voivodeship using questionnaires (200 institutions) and self-advocate visits (scenario devised during workshops) in 50 institutions. Along with the monitored institutions, with the self-advocates, we will draw up the solutions that are desirable and feasible in the institution. It will be possible to use the devised monitoring model in other municipalities and local districts in Poland. Ten deaf self-advocates will take part in the measures. Ten self-advocates will act to help their own group, and a minimum of 50 government clerks will learn the needs of deaf people at a personal meeting. We will release a brochure containing the findings of the questionnaire and monitoring, as well recommendations, and this will be distributed in local district and municipal institutions.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the problem of exclusion of deaf people from access to public services. The measures taken by the public administration to implement the Sign Language Act and the Accessibility Act are clearly insufficient. The discrepancy between the law and the practice implemented by county and municipal offices, medical and other public services has been confirmed, for example, by the results of a study by the Supreme Chamber of Control. In Poland, the population of deaf people using Polish Sign Language amounts to about 50,000 people. In smaller towns, the representation of this group is relatively low, which in turn translates into its low visibility in the local community and the failure to take action to meet its needs. As part of the project, we prepared deaf people from the Łódź Province for the role of self-advocates. They took part in workshops on the accessibility of public institutions for deaf people in the legal system and in practice. We carried out monitoring of the application of the accessibility law in communes and districts of the Łódź Province - a questionnaire survey covered 74 institutions (communal offices, town halls, district starosties, labour offices, social assistance centres, community centres, psychological-educational counselling centres, police stations, hospitals, courts), and visits by self-advocates covered 51 institutions. Information meetings were also held in 4 smaller towns in the province, attended by deaf people and allies. During the meetings, the results of the monitoring and the idea of self-advocacy were presented. The results of the survey were also summarised in a publication.As a result of the project, 11 deaf people improved their knowledge and skills in the law on accessibility of public services and how to enforce the law. Public institutions confronted themselves with the needs of deaf clients and the obligations imposed on them by the law to increase the accessibility of public services. As many as 50 civil servants working in local governments in the Łódź Province - through meetings with a Deaf person - personally experienced the importance of removing barriers to accessing services, and this experience prompted them to put more effort into ensuring accessibility for Deaf people.
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