Empowering Peer Led Services
At Deafblind Scotland, we are committed to empowering our members through peer-led services, providing support for those with deafblindness to live independent, fulfilling lives.
Our recent work has focused on self-management, mentorship, and innovative projects that enhance accessibility and promote positive change. We believe that our members with lived experience are uniquely positioned to offer invaluable support, guidance, and inspiration to others navigating similar challenges.
Self-Management
Self Management is a way of living and working that means people living with long term conditions feel more in control of their own health and wellbeing. It supports people to live their lives better, on their terms.
Self-management supports and encourages people living with long term conditions to access information and to develop skills to find out what’s right for their condition and, most importantly, right for them.
Jennifers Mentorship Success
Jennifer Murray, one of our valued members and volunteers, exemplifies this principle. She was nominated for the Self-Management Awards 2023 and subsequently won. Jennifer's journey demonstrates the power of self-management, as she has used her expertise in technology to help others become more independent.
"I really enjoyed being at the awards ceremony last year. It was nice to be recognised as a volunteer, as we often go unnoticed. It was a privilege to be nominated, especially as someone with lived experience of sight and hearing loss. Sharing my knowledge and skills about using technology on different devices helps empower independence in others."
– Jennifer Murray
Jennifer's mentorship journey highlights the positive impact of peer support. As part of a four-week internship programme from November to December 2023, Jennifer assisted with our social media strategy and digital content creation for Scottish Disability Sport Week. She also played a crucial role in revising project questionnaires, improving our data collection processes.
Through this project, Jennifer's confidence has grown, and she has recognised her own value, both as a mentor and as a person with lived experience. Her recent win of the Sensory Loss: Positive Self-Management Award was a significant milestone, and she now holds a full-time paid position, something she never thought possible. This achievement demonstrates the transformative power of mentorship and how it can raise aspirations and change lives.
SensAble Project
The SensAble Project aims to support individuals who are acquiring a second sensory loss, helping them maintain their existing coping strategies while guiding them in adapting to new challenges. By connecting individuals with peer mentors, we offer support to navigate this transition, ensuring that participants have the resources, skills, and confidence they need to maintain independence and improve their quality of life.
The project’s objectives include enhancing social connectivity through assistive technology, teaching new communication skills such as Deafblind Manual, braille, or moon, and providing emotional support. With the help of trained peer mentors, participants gain the tools to cope with their sensory loss while envisioning a hopeful future.
Our goal is to train 10 peer mentors and support 40 deafblind individuals in making positive adjustments to their lives. Through this initiative, participants will experience:
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Increased confidence in using technology
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Improved skills and knowledge in deafblind communication through peer-led braille and Moon classes
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Enhanced resilience through the buddy programme
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Better health and wellbeing through self-care advice and support from peers with lived experience
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Greater empowerment through control over their transition and choice of new skills and strategies
The SensAble Project has had a lasting impact on participants, helping them build resilience, gain new skills, and strengthen their sense of empowerment. By offering practical and emotional support, we are ensuring that those facing dual sensory loss are not alone in their journey, and that they have the tools to continue living fulfilling, empowered lives.
Digital Cafe
Our Digital Café sessions are designed to help members improve their technological skills, knowledge, and confidence. These sessions, co-facilitated by SenseAble mentors and staff, focus on addressing accessibility needs and ensuring that our members are able to fully engage with the digital world. The sessions have been well-attended by both members and non-members, especially those at risk of acquiring a second sensory loss.
Through peer support, non-members have gained invaluable insights, with one even leading a session on digital skills. These inclusive activities have resulted in new members joining Deafblind Scotland, furthering our community and expanding the support network.
One member shared,
"If I hadn’t been coming here, I wouldn’t know about these things. I’d be sitting in my house, doing nothing, worrying about depression. Everything has been a big bonus, coming here with people."
Additionally, another deafblind member, developed a reading tool for learning Moon, using RNIB's Journey Round the Moon materials. This tool has introduced members to an alternative communication method, and three Moon packs have been distributed to SenseAble participants to support their learning.
Part of What We Do
Peer mentorship has become a core component of Deafblind Scotland's operations, demonstrating the power of lived experience in supporting others. By engaging in peer-led projects, mentors not only assist others but also gain a renewed sense of identity, purpose, and empowerment. This peer leadership approach is now embedded in various aspects of our work, including the design of our new website, which provides an accessible, user-friendly resource for the majority of our members.
The impact of peer-led services is undeniable, and we are proud to continue empowering individuals through these initiatives. By offering mentorship, technology support, and emotional guidance, we are helping those with deafblindness take control of their lives and build a more confident, independent future.