You Are Always Invited
* Pre-registration is required for all events
SAVE THE DATE!!
We are excited to announce that we have some fun and educational events lined up for the coming months! Look for more information to come for each event and we hope that you can join us for one, or all, of these events!
WINTER CALENDAR
Roundtable Discussion with D/HH Adults
Please join us for our third installment of A Roundtable Discussion with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults on Tuesday, March 21 at 8:00 pm. Virginia Hands & Voices board member and Communications Chair, Dr. Jill Young will once again facilitate a diverse panel of deaf and hard of hearing adults. Dr. Young brings an important perspective to the facilitator role as an audiologist with hearing loss.
We recognize that many parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing may not have the opportunity to hear from adults who are also deaf and hard of hearing. We welcome you to join us for a candid conversation to learn more about educational and social experiences that helped shape our panelists into the successful people they are today!
Panelists include Laura Yellin, Gideon Firl and Riley Mathers. They represent a variety of communication modes including spoken English, American Sign Language, and Cued Speech.
Remote Conference Captioning will be available along with an ASL interpreter and a cued language transliterator. If you have questions you would like to ask the panelists, please submit them while registering.
We aim to create a safe space where our panelists will feel at ease sharing their life experiences, and attendees will feel comfortable asking questions they may have about raising their own deaf or hard of hearing child.
Feel free to share this unique opportunity with fellow parents or colleagues you feel would benefit from this roundtable discussion. We look forward to seeing you there!
Student-Led Pal Program
We are pleased to announce a new collaborative effort between the Technical Assistance Center for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TAC-DHH), the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (VSDB) Outreach Programs and yours truly, Virginia Hands & Voices!
You are invited to join us for a newly created virtual Student-Led Pal Program and we are seeking deaf and hard of hearing students who may be interested. This virtual group will meet monthly between February and May for one hour via Zoom. The purpose of this program is to allow deaf and hard of hearing children in Virginia to connect with each other virtually and provide mentor/mentee opportunities, all while having fun!
Elementary-aged students will be matched with Middle and High school students to lead structured activities during the sessions. All modes of communication are welcome! Adult supervision will be provided during the virtual event. Activities will vary monthly, and supplies for each activity will be mailed to the address provided on the student's interest form. For more information, please review the flyer below or register HERE. Completed forms will be accepted until January 20, 2023.
If you have questions, please contact Robin Bliven at robin.bliven@vsdb.k12.va.us or Tracey Yurechko at yurechkot@vcu.edu. We are also happy to answer any questions you may have.
We will be bringing this event to our community in 2023. Look for more information to come in the near future!
Saturday, November 12
Educational Empowerment Seminar
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
5 Points Music Sanctuary
Roanoke, VA
This seminar is intended for parents of Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) children who are currently advocating for their children in school or who are transitioning from an IFSP to an IEP - or who are planning to do so in the near future.
This seminar will feature two D/HH speakers and community leaders, Tresses Bateson and Tyler Godsey. Topics may include:
- How to think outside the box when it comes to eligibility, accomodations, IFSP/IEP transition
- Active engagement in the IFSP/IEP process
- Social/Emotional health for D/HH children
- Struggles and barriers, and triumphs in the educational setting
- Self-advocacy skills for D/HH students
- Encouraging self- expression in our D/HH children
Note: This event is intended for parents of deaf and hard of hearing children. There will not be any onsite childcare available.
Events & Activities
While Virginia Hands & Voices hosts some of our own events, we often take advantage of, and meet at, programs offered by other organizations that will benefit our members. We do our best to keep this page up to date, but we encourage you to visit our Facebook page for the most current information.
Social Opportunities
We seek to connect children with other children and families with other families. Often, through fun, family-centered activities we make strong friendships and realize we are not alone on the journey.
Learning Opportunities
Have you thought, "I'm confused, but I'm too afraid to ask," during an IFSP, IEP or 504 plan meeting. Do you ever wish you could just talk to someone who's a few steps ahead of you on this journey or a professional in the field of childhood hearing loss? Virginia Hands & Voices seeks to provide opportunities to learn and explore with others like you.
When will Hands & Voices be in your area?
If we have not been in your area and you'd like to help us plan an event, please contact us at vahandsandvoices@gmail.com. The events we plan are often based on finding a volunteer in the area who can help us. We'd love to hear from you!
Stayed tuned for more!
Have an Idea for an Event?
If you have an idea for an event, or know of one we might want to promote to our members, please email us at vahandsandvoices@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you!