Deaf Perspectives: Past, Present, and Future is an National Lottery Heritage funded Offshoot Foundation project running throughout the first half of 2025. The project involves students from King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds and Northgate High School in Ipswich. The students are aged 11-15 and some are deaf and some are hearing. We are working with the students to make a series of short films about different aspects of deaf life in the past, present and future.
Project Aims
The project aims to spread deaf awareness and provide tools which can help us all make society more deaf friendly. The students taking part are developing new skills and growing in confidence. The project has grown out of an earlier Deaf Perspectives project which took the photographs of local deaf photographer Walton Burrell as inspiration. The films were screened to an invited audience in June and then shared online.
Topics Explored in the Films
- Education experiences across generations
- Deaf students at university
- Daniel Jillings and the BSL GCSE campaign
- Communication tips for hearing people
- Evolution of hearing technology
deaf perspective films
Deafness and Education
Deafness and Education (BSL)
Our top tips for hearing people
Our top tips for hearing people (BSL)
Being Deaf at University (BSL)
Being Deaf at University Part 2 (BSL)
The Evolution of Hearing Technology
The Evolution of Hearing Technology (BSL)
The World of Work
The World of Work (BSL)
The BSL GCSE – Campaigning for Change
The BSL GCSE – Campaigning for Change (BSL)
Can, Not Can’t – A Performance in British Sign Language
Can, Not Can’t – A Performance in British Sign Language (BSL)
Fantastic feedback
"It was absolutely brilliant to see young Deaf people embracing their identities and histories. Each short film gave me something to think about and I can see how skilled they have become. Keep it up!"
"They gave these young people a voice to express themselves outside of the parameters of completing questionnaires. They were allowed, and supported, to be creative and honest."
"This is an amazing project that has brought together so many young people. It's helped grow awareness of such an important topic. Congratulations to everybody involved."
"I would like to see this project shared widely so that it has the chance to influence and shape future policies and provision within education, the workplace for wider awareness of deafness within the community."
WORKSHOP PHOTOS
deaf awareness resources
Deaf Perspectives: Past, Present, and Future is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to provide opportunities for young people to develop new skills and share their perspective on the world.
