New society launched to support deaf children and their families across Chesterfield

A new society has been launched to support deaf children, young people, and their families in Chesterfield.
Newly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured from left are Sue Worner, Luke Banner, chair of society Phoebe Wallington, Oscar Davies and Stanley, sevenNewly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured from left are Sue Worner, Luke Banner, chair of society Phoebe Wallington, Oscar Davies and Stanley, seven
Newly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured from left are Sue Worner, Luke Banner, chair of society Phoebe Wallington, Oscar Davies and Stanley, seven

Hear Me Out – Chesterfield Deaf Children’s Society (CDCS) was created by 21-year-old Phoebe Wallington who, in search of something to occupy her time during the first lockdown, took to learning British Sign Language (BSL).

Wanting to take her new found skill one step further and with voluntary experience under her belt, she enlisted the help of a friend and found support from others within the deaf community to make the society a reality.

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The society, which is still somewhat in its infancy, aims to support children and young people within the hearing impaired community by bringing together relevant organisations and linking them with individuals, as well as uniting families to share similar experiences.

Newly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured is Phoebe Wallington whose idea it was to create the societyNewly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured is Phoebe Wallington whose idea it was to create the society
Newly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured is Phoebe Wallington whose idea it was to create the society

Phoebe, from Chesterfield, said: “I set up the society in January 2021. I’d seen that they’d got a couple of societies in surrounding areas such as Sheffield and Derby for example but there was nothing in the Chesterfield area.

"I’m Level 3 trained in BSL, I’ve worked in voluntary areas like that before, and I thought why not try and set something up myself. So, I worked with my friend Hannah and she is a CODA which is Child Of Deaf Adults, so both her parents are deaf.

"I said this is my idea, do you think we could make it work? We thought we’d just try it, so originally got some ideas together and looked at planning some events but obviously we were in the middle of the pandemic so that was quite difficult at that point.

Newly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured are Oscar Davies, Luke Banner, Sue Worner and Phoebe WallingtonNewly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured are Oscar Davies, Luke Banner, Sue Worner and Phoebe Wallington
Newly launched Hear Me Out - Chesterfield Deaf Children's Society. Pictured are Oscar Davies, Luke Banner, Sue Worner and Phoebe Wallington
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"We did then get in contact with the National Deaf Children’s Society and they discussed how we could become a professionally registered association with them and we decided to go down that route.

"We’ve now got a team of 11 volunteers and a committee which is made up of myself, Hannah, and then we’ve got a mix of parents of deaf children and individuals who are deaf themselves.”

She added: “It’s a bit of a funny story really, but I actually started BSL as just an introduction course at the beginning of the first lockdown and it ended up totally changing my career path altogether.

"I ended up studying Levels 1, 2, and 3, and going on to work in that sort of area and that sort of job role.

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"Once I picked up the passion I started getting in contact with people within the deaf community, working with other people around the area – it was all online, a lot of work in online cafes, which was quite strange to start with but actually, the network that I began to build really supported our work as we started the society.”

Now out of lockdown restrictions, the committee is hoping to put on events for deaf children and their families – the next one being a picnic in the park at Queen’s Park on Thursday, August 19.

As well as this, it is working behind the scenes to discuss aims for the society that will benefit the hearing impaired community in the long term.

Hear Me Out CDCS is also well on its way to building connections within the Chesterfield area, having recently been approached by New Whittington Primary School – which has its own Enhanced Resource Facility for deaf and hearing impaired children – to work in collaboration together.

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Phoebe added: “We’ve got a mix of different backgrounds, myself being a professional and having the parents’ views as well, and I think that's really important to know what people want and to see what we can provide for them that will give the best outcome for everyone.

"The general goal is to have that community group where people can come to, we might not have all the answers but we can signpost to different people with different people’s experience.

"People can drop in or maybe come to an activity, really enjoy it and become a member that stays with us the whole way through or just drop in here and there.

"A lot of deaf children are integrated into mainstream schools and communities and that’s great but it’s also great, for example if they use BSL, to have someone else they can converse with and have that support.

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"Unfortunately, some children aren’t as lucky as others and don’t get enough support and that’s definitely where we’d like to help and allow them to come and get support from other people.

"With the parents, it’s good for them to have the support network too, to share similar experiences and they can nominate professionals or places they’ve received help from as well.

"We’ve got big plans, we’d love to do things like climbing trips away – all those things that are really just out there and just something fun and exciting to do especially after the couple of years we’ve had."

Hearing impaired children and young people, up to 18-years-old, and their families are invited to the picnic at Queen’s Park on August 19.

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It is bring your own food and there will be activities as well as the opportunity to learn more about Hear Me Out – Chesterfield Deaf Children’s Society and to get to know people within the community.

To register your interest click here or for more information about the society and its events visit the Hear Me Out CDCS Facebook page.

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