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Royal Association for Deaf People – Deaf Votes Count!  

By GLA Democratic Participation Grants Team | 24th September 2024
A still from a video of a woman delivering voter information in British Sign Language.

The Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD) delivered in-person engagement and awareness-raising to Deaf Londoners across London. It found that direct, in-person engagement was much more effective than online workshops. Through its delivery, RAD found that it had to deliver some initial political literacy outreach – many in the Deaf community cannot access any political resources from traditional sources, as most are only available in English (not their first language). RAD developed assets and videos in BSL, which they shared on social media. Furthermore, it embedded this information in its Information Advice and Guidance services.  

They ran 20 in-person and 11 online events, and had a good reach online: over 10,800 reached on Instagram, almost 4,800 reached on Facebook, and almost 14,350 reached on X.  

  • 94 percent of participants reported an increased sense of belonging to London 
  • 64 percent of respondents reported an increased understanding of the democratic system as a result of this project/ activity 
  • 82 percent of respondents reported that they are ready to use their democratic rights to vote as a result of taking part in this project/ activity 

As part of the legacy of the project, RAD produced two videos on the benefits of taking part in the democratic process, and how to go about it. 

RAD delivered awareness-raising events to Deaf Londoners across the capital. In feedback, participants said they appreciated the outreach and information shared by the grantee. The testimonies below are translated from BSL:  

“This is the first time I am learning this information.”  

“I’ve been voting in local elections for years but only pick small bits of information. Difficult to understand about politics when lack of BSL resources out there. No interest as not understand. Old times no information from TV, follow my mum to vote. Now older I have little information access to fully understand. Equality.”   

“RAD’s service is beautiful. I do understand all – include BSL. Before workshop I had zero understand about vote – how it works. The workshop helped me understand and be ready to vote.”  

“It helps me understand there is three different elections which I never heard before; glad workshop explains which it is.”