Supporting deaf and hard of hearing students to access work experience
Deaf and hard of hearing students may need additional support to find suitable work experience or work placements depending on their individual needs.
On this page you will find some practical tips, useful information and resources to help you support deaf and hard of hearing students find and secure work experience opportunities. These resources are intended to complement the work you already do in this space by adding a specifically deaf-aware lens.
Start Early!
Generally, planning for work experience should begin early for deaf or hard of hearing students, particularly if they require workplace adjustments to enable them to work safely and to the best of their ability.
Work experience placements that are more deaf-friendly or disability-inclusive are often in high demand and can fill quickly. Opportunities may be limited by the number of placements available, the range of roles offered, and how the job application is accessed. Jobs that specifically promote disability access will often have specific contact and application requirements that should be considered when planning and applying.
Many work experience opportunities offered annually by employers have fixed closing dates for applications, which may fall early in the year or even in the year before the placement takes place. These placement opportunities also typically have set dates for completion, making early research and planning essential.
Plan for hesitation, challenges and self-advocacy
While employers can’t discriminate on the basis of disability, deaf and hard of hearing students may encounter employer hesitation, often related to communication needs or workplace safety. Students and their support networks should be prepared to discuss deaf awareness, explain their individual communication needs and negotiate any workplace adjustments with the employer before commencing a placement. This process may require significant support.
At school, deaf and hard of hearing students benefit from adjustments made for them that anticipate their needs. As they enter the workforce, they must take a more active role in identifying and explaining their needs and arranging required adjustments themselves.
This includes learning how to talk to employers about being deaf or hard of hearing and explaining what this means in terms of their needs at work, identifying their needs and having strategies to manage challenges, knowing what adjustments they will need and how to request them, and understanding their rights and responsibilities at work.
Developing these self-advocacy skills is an important part of preparing for work experience and future employment. It takes planning and practice. Students may require significant support to achieve this.
Resources
Here are some resources to help teachers and careers practitioners support deaf and hard of hearing students to access work experience and empower them to ask for what they need to work safely and at their best.
Free eLearning Course
As part of its Work Experience Project, Deaf Children Australia has developed an eLearning course for teachers and careers professionals that offers useful tips, case studies and information for supporting deaf and hard of hearing students prepare for and secure work experience and work placements.
The Supporting deaf students to access work experience course is free. Click the button to register.
Student resources
My Deaf Advocacy Plan for Work is a resource to help deaf and hard of hearing students:
- Plan strategies to overcome challenges
- Have difficult conversations with employers specific to being deaf
- Advocate for their rights at work and ask for the accommodations they need at work.
Students can use this resource on there own or with the support of a teacher, careers practitioner, family member or friend.
Working with the student, use these checklists to unpack and explore the how the student can:
· Go about finding a suitable work placement
· Understand and plan for their needs and challenges at work
· Talk about their needs and ask for accommodations with an employer
· Confirm expectations and strategies.
The checklists are designed to complement the guidance provided in the My Deaf Advocacy Plan for Work workbook
Please click the buttons to download the resources.
Deaf-friendly teaching strategies
A Deaf or Hard of Hearing Student in the Classroom is a short guide full of practical teaching strategies to support deaf and hard of hearing students.
Please click the button to download the resource.
Deaf Awareness resources
Deaf Awareness Tips to Communicate is a short guide to being deaf aware that deaf and hard of hearing students can give to employers
Please click the button to download the resource.
Other useful links and resources
VicLLENs (Local Learning and Employment Networks) is an excellent starting point to help secure placements.
The Victorian Government’s Career education equity and support provides links to resources to support career practitioners meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse or disadvantaged students.
Study Work Grow offers careers resources and work experience job posts.
A Job Well Done provides work experience safety resources for students with a disability.
