Hub opens for deaf community

Opened last week, the office has been established through a merger of Deaf Hub Bendigo and Expression Australia, the country’s oldest organisation dedicated to working with the deaf.

And as part of the move a new, free interpreter service will operate from the facility.

Expression Australia chief executive officer Rebecca Adam was at the opening and said consultation with the Bendigo community was “paramount.”

“Equal access is a challenge in regional areas and we are committed to expanding on the wonderful work of the Deaf Hub, including education and employment pathways,” Ms Adam said.

She said the new Auslan interpreter service would be available every second Monday, and would increase if there was sufficient demand.

“With 95 per cent of deaf people born into hearing families, learning Auslan is an essential and beautiful form of communication.”

The interpreter will help people perform common tasks such as medical appointments, parent-teacher interviews and even making accommodation bookings, that would otherwise be difficult.

Ms Adams, the first deaf person to lead Expression Australia, also encouraged the wider community to take advantage of more Auslan classes which would be offered at the hub.

Expression Australia board members Kathryn Forrest and former Victorian emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp, also attended the opening.

“The merger between Deaf Hub Bendigo and Expression Australia is vital and key to ensuring that the current projects and services the hub delivers can continue once government funding finishes in June,” Ms Forrest said.

She said that while the Expression Australia support was providing the new office space, it would also ensure continuing employment for hub staff.

Ms Forrest said the organisation was committed to “providing further services, the development of partnerships and providing better access for our deaf and hard of hearing community in regional Victoria.”

Memorial plaques honouring people from Bendigo’s deaf community for their past contributions – Alfredo ‘Fred’ Pettinella, Leila Freemantle and Shirley Morrison – were unveiled during the event.

The hub will also host monthly coffee mornings as a way to create and encourage greater connections.

The new office is at Level 2, 41-43 Mundy Street.