Empowering Our Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community with Our DeafVoice Program
With March highlighting the importance of accessible communication, leadership, and independence for our deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, the Center for Independent Living would like to provide this introduction to our DeafVoice Program.
Communication is absolutely a right and is necessary for functioning in day-to-day life. Unfortunately, a lack of equitable resources, including access to interpreters and affordable listening and captioning technology, creates obstacles that inhibit our deaf and hard-of-hearing community’s ability to achieve their right to understand and be understood. Through our DeafVoice program, we provide services to ensure everyone has an equal means of communication.
The Center for Independent Living’s DeafVoice program is committed to finding effective solutions to the challenges commonly faced by the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, problems that, despite often having practical solutions, often lack accessible ones. Individuals who come to our program seeking assistance are provided with the necessary tools, education, and guidance to engage fully and equally within their communities while building more independent lives.
Some of our services include citizenship education, driver’s license training, and tax preparation assistance. We also offer employment services, including job search support, resume writing, interview preparation, and strategies for workplace communication. For students transitioning from school to the workforce, we help to make the process less stressful and more meaningful by building self-determination.
Our workshops provide educational sessions on a range of topics designed to build practical skills and confidence. We also provide assistive equipment that improves safety and communication, including amplified phones, vibrating alarm clocks and bed shakers, flashing doorbell kits, and smoke alarms. Overall, our tools, services, and educational programs are designed to be supportive without being intrusive, easy to learn, practical, and seamlessly integrated into daily life.
Our DeafVoice program has proudly served over 150 deaf individuals in Orange County, helping them live more independently due to the training and services they received. The Center for Independent Living continues to promote access to resources and knowledge within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. In addition to our services, we have distributed over 60
assistive devices to individuals in the program, strengthening accessibility within their homes and improving day-to-day independence.
If you, a friend, or loved one is part of the deaf or hard-of-hearing community, we encourage you to contact us or recommend them to join our DeafVoice program today, where individuals can receive support to achieve more accessible communication and strengthened confidence in their daily lives. The Center for Independent Living is fortifying leadership by advancing ASL access and promoting deaf-led advocacy. The DeafVoice program helps build confidence, influence decision-making, and shape more inclusive outcomes across communities and workplaces.