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Read the Spring 2010 newsletter

Most people can live independently without much support from anyone. Some people are lucky to have friends or family that can help. For those with not enough support, SignHealth’s Outreach Service can be a lifeline.

Our outreach workers support Deaf people to live independent lives. They treat people as individuals – all of whom have different needs. So, our outreach workers offer different types of support.

Some people may just need some help with budgeting, to make sure they save enough each week for food and rent. Other people may be feeling isolated and want to meet people. Our outreach workers can support them to get out and make friends.

This doesn’t mean our outreach workers do lots of jobs for people. Far from it. If someone needs help with their shopping, our outreach worker will not go and do it for them. Instead, an outreach worker supports the person to decide what food they want to buy (helping them think about that week’s meals), and then supports them to decide how to get to the shops, and then supports them as they shop. This means our client gains the confidence to shop by themselves.

So who uses the Outreach Service?

We have lots of different clients. Most have a mental health problem which has impacted on their independence and life skills. Our outreach workers all have experience of working with Deaf people who have mental health problems. This means our outreach workers can spot whether someone’s health is getting worse and respond to this.

Social services usually pay for the Outreach Service. They know the value of someone keeping their independence.

What makes the service different?

Importantly, all our outreach workers are either Deaf or fluent BSL signers. This means they are able to form a proper relationship with their clients, and are able to understand what support is needed. Our clients prefer having someone who can sign – which is far easier than having an outreach worker and an interpreter.

Information leaflets

London Outreach
London Outreach (more detail)
Manchester Outreach
Manchester Outreach (more detail)
Leeds Outreach