How would you communitcate if you lost your voice? #VoiceOff

Imagine feeling left out of conversations because you can’t understand what your family are saying to you or the enormous sense of isolation because you can’t make yourself understood by your school friends or workmates. Sadly, for many Deaf young people this can be an everyday reality in the wider hearing world. This sponsored challenge aims to raise awareness of the one million Deaf young people across the UK who struggle to use or understand spoken language. #VoiceOff is about experiencing some of the communication challenges Deaf people face every day and tackle some misconceptions. –Exeter Deaf Academy

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In a fortnight we are taking part in Exeter Deaf Academy’s Voice Off.

At this stage I am using the term ‘we‘ loosely.  I’m joining in, my husband will be taking part, my son (who is 6) is very keen to participate but talks continously so I’m not sure how long he’ll last.  And my daughter (3) may pick up some of what were doing, definitely won’t stop speaking but will enjoy the game.

Don’t be fooled by the title, the #VoiceOff isn’t a sponsored silence, it is a great opportunity to play around with other ways to communicate, for us (in my ‘every day is Christmas Day’ head) it’s going to be an extended game of charades (my personal favourite family friendly party game) or maybe even Pictionary.  And when the kids are asleep it might be an extended Twitter conversation (it’s #DevonHour every Wednesday after all) .

Exeter Deaf Academy are running British sign language workshops for participants and have posted plenty of sign language videos to their YouTube channel so we are also going to have a go at learning some as a family (beats watching Mr Tumble IMHO).

The official #VoiceOff day is Wednesday 15th June, so we have nearly two weeks to get prepped!

I popped in to see the PR team at the Deaf Academy last week and was very impressed with the school and the plans for the new building.  The funds raised from the Voice Off help to support projects that wouldn’t happen without it like the Forest School.

There is a lot more information about the Voice Off on their website here, you can also follow the Voice Off on Twitter @DeafAcademy or get involved on Facebook.

I’m loving the easy sign lessons on their You Tube channel, have a go and learn some sign yourself, it’s fun!

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