Deaf Education Advocacy Fellowship (DEAF), visited Ashton Sixth Form College to speak to Public Services students about the work of the organisation and the Sign Language enrichment which is offered to students at the college.

Esmail Patel, director and founder of DEAF, works with Ashton Sixth Form College regularly. Speaking to Public Services students about his experiences and the organisation he set-up, allowed students to understand a little more about what life is like for those who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. Esmail began his presentation without an interpreter, opening up the conversation and engaging students to really think about what it feels like to have difficulty hearing or communicating. Esmail continued his presentation by "bridging the gap", allowing students to join the conversation and look where they can support others.

DEAF describe what they do as,

not just supporting people who are D/deaf or hard of hearing, a considerable side of our work enables us to break down the barriers of communication by teaching hearing people the culture and language of the D/deaf community.

By visiting the college and working with students, Esmail's does exactly that. DEAF run a Sign Language enrichment at the college which allows students to gain a qualification in British Sign Language. Students who wish to go in to the health or public sectors often take part in this enrichment, alongside those students who simply want to learn to sign for many other reasons too.