1. Participation through the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015
Alison Hendry, Project Development Officer
sparqs conference - Thursday 28th March 2019

2. Background Project Development Officer (BSL & Youth)
Remit is Scotland-wide
Scottish Government funded

3. British Sign Language
BSL – language in its own right, recognised in 2003
Own grammar, syntax, structure – dialect variations
One of four indigenous languages in Scotland, alongside Scots, Gaelic and English (
Used by 12,533 people in Scotland (2011 census) (
Example: English (the man is standing on the bridge); BSL (bridge man stand)
The 2011 Census in Scotland for the first time included a question on the number of people who use BSL at home. In the Census, 12,533 people indicated they used BSL at home: this amounts to 0.23% of the total population of Scotland.

4. BSL (Scotland) Act 2015
Unanimously passed in Scottish Parliament on 17th September 2015, receiving Royal Assent on 22nd October 2015
The BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 puts a duty on Scottish Ministers to promote and encourage the use of BSL as a language
Scottish Government BSL National Plan published in 2017; with Authority (Local) Plans from listed public bodies a year later

5. BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 & its impact on Deaf/Deafblind students
Better access
Raise awareness
Increased opportunities

6. Timeline for 1st round October 2017 – 1st National Plan
October 2018 – 1st Authority Plans
October 2020 – 1st Progress Report

7. National Plans every 6 years (2023, 2029…)
Authority Plans 6 months after National Plan
Progress Report 3 years after National Plan (2026, 2032…)

8. National Plan Created by Scottish Government
For Scottish Government & listed national public bodies
National Advisory Group, national consultations, etc

9. BSL National Advisory Group
21 individuals
11 BSL users
10 public body representatives
Remit
Regular meetings
Experience
The role of the first BSL National Advisory Group was to advise Scottish Ministers on the
development of BSL National Plan.
The remit of the first BSL National Advisory Group included:
Reflecting the views of the BSL community/public bodies in developing the national plan.
Discuss/comment on/agree/sign off outputs at key stages, including:
List of possible priority areas to discuss with BSL community.
Approach to engagement with BSL community.
Draft the National Plan and consultation questions and decide how the consultation will conducted.
Make recommendations for National Plan based on consultation responses.
Finalise the first BSL National Plan before it is published.
Individual confidence increased, opportunity to co-chair (Deafblind and BSL user), empowerment, impact on working with hearing people, building different skills such as time management, presenting skills, communication etc.

10. BSL National Plan process
A draft of the BSL National Plan was published in both BSL and in English for consultation
Feedback on the draft plan was gathered via various ways
organised consultation events
1-1 meetings
online using a Facebook group
online through the consultation website
Published on 24th October 2017
Accessibility
Same format for final plan – BSL and English

11. National Plan Authority Plans Created by Scottish Government
For Scottish Government & listed national public bodies
National Advisory Group, national consultations, etc
Authority Plans
Influenced by National Plan, mirrors principles
By, & for, listed local public bodies (local authorities)
Local consultations, locality-led – but can be shared

12. SFC Outcome Agreements
Embed BSL in the Scottish Funding Council’s Outcome Agreement expectations including:
Reporting on the BSL population in both sectors
Update reports on the implementation of BSL Institutional Plans
Setting and monitoring a National Ambition to seek improvements in representation and outcomes of BSL users in both sectors
Embed BSL in the SFC’s Outcome Agreement expectations including:
Reporting on the BSL population in both sectors
Update reports on the implementation of BSL Institutional Plans
Setting and monitoring a National Ambition to seek improvements in representation and outcomes of BSL users in both sectors This will include recommendations to the May SFC Access and Inclusion Committee and June Council Board
This will require valid and reliable data on BSL users. BSL flags are in place for the college sector from and the university sector by which will enable us to report at a national level by early 2020 (colleges) and early 2021 (both sectors).

13. Authority Plan development
Working group
“when we were developing the plan, we only had 4 BSL using Deaf Students. All were involved in contributing ideas to the plan, and one was on the BSL working group”
Individual meetings
“I asked the college’s Deaf students individually before we started the process how we could improve how we support Deaf students and got initial ideas and thoughts. I then spoke to the students again about half way through the process for their opinions on what we were doing and if we were going in the correct direction.”

14. Joint consultation events
“a joint consultation session with the Deaf Community, this was in recognition that individually we might not have significant numbers and this would be better as a joint initiative”
“At the event each organisation had its own table and members of the deaf community were encouraged to speak to organisations and tell them what worked well, what didn’t work well and how their service could be improved.”
Online
Survey
Facebook group
Dedicated web page

15. Direct feedback – Deaf individual’s perspective

16. Direct feedback – FE/HE’s perspective
“Involving the students was absolutely essential to getting a proper understanding of what we need to do and why”
“Hearing and encouraging Students’ feedback through open consultation allows for our plan to be personalised to meet the needs of these students”
“We also involved our community in developing the initial actions. I think this process was really the foundations of future work.”

17. Barriers Timing Accessibility Organising communication support
Last minute notification
Only one specified time slot
Accessibility
Information sharing to be in both BSL and English
Deafblind accessibility too
Organising communication support
Book well in advance
Ask individuals
1 interpreter for every 200 people

18. Specific barriers from FE/HE
Geography
I jumped into the partnership plan option and the three consultations are the best way to get a proper view of what people will need for the future.
Lack of support
there is no mention of how Deaf students will be supported in the non-academic side of college (e.g. clubs, student rep system etc.) so I don’t feel that our action plan encompasses all of student life.

19. National Plan Authority Plans Progress reports
Created by Scottish Government
For Scottish Government & listed national public bodies
National Advisory Group, national consultations, etc
Authority Plans
Influenced by National Plan, mirrors principles
By, & for, listed local public bodies (local authorities)
Local consultations, locality-led – but can be shared
Progress reports
Scottish Ministers (Scottish Government) must review
Progress report to be produced to feed into next Plan

20. Recommendations
Information needs to be accessible in both BSL and English
Allow sufficient time for
booking language service
professionals (LSPs)
Offer alternative time slot
for meetings
BSL Awareness training delivered

21. THANK YOU! Alison Hendry, Project Development Officer
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22. Alison Hendry, Project Development Officer
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