WIREDGOV

Deaf Action has received over £600k from the Big Lottery Fund to help 240 unemployed deaf adults in Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee and Perth and Kinross enter the job market.  The grant is one of eight worth £3,813,476 announced yesterday (WEDNESDAY 22 JULY).

Thanks to an award of £619,275, the organisation will be able to offer a range of support including interview techniques, CV skills, mock interviews and links to potential employers.  Each person on the programme will be also be assigned with a deaf peer mentor who will help them through their journey with an individualised support plan.

Deaf Action will work to develop ongoing relationships with potential employers in each of the regions, gauging their awareness of issues that may affect deaf people in the workplace, as well as their willingness to employ them.  They will then be recruited as ‘employer champions’ and identified as role models to help bring other organisations on board.

Chief Executive, Aidan McCorry, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been successful in securing funding to provide employability support to unemployed deaf adults in Tayside, Fife and Lothian.  We know that many deaf people are keen to find work but struggle to engage effectively with mainstream training providers because the support offered generally lacks an awareness of their specific needs.  Deaf Action’s Employability Service has been designed with these needs in mind and will be delivered by deaf professionals who themselves have overcome the real and perceived barriers that exist for deaf people when seeking employment.  I look forward to working in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund and other organisations to ensure that unemployed deaf adults are given the specialist support they need to progress into work.”

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “Everyone should have access to employment opportunities, regardless of their additional support needs. We recognise that deaf people often face obstacles to finding employment. This funding should help raise awareness of these barriers while giving deaf adults the necessary skills and confidence to enter the job market. By bringing potential employers into the mix, this innovative programme will also help to change attitudes and, most importantly, encourage people with skills back into the workplace.”

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 0141 242 1458
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Twitter: @BIGScotland #biglottery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundScotland

Notes to editors:

• The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery for good causes and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes. 
• Since June 2004 we have awarded over £8 billion to projects that make a difference to people and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for World War Two veterans.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £33 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.