Serving Southwestern New Brunswick

Saint John Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

SJDHHS is a member agency of the Greater Saint John United Way

Programs

 

Employability Skills Program

Where deaf adults and young adults learn important transitional skills to bridge the gap between the hearing and hard of hearing and deaf world.  Major sills learned are Employers Expectations, Hearing Culture and Norms, Deaf Culture and Norms and how they fit into the hearing world, Real World Problem Solving Skills, Interviewing Skills and Techniques, Job Application Forms, How to Contact an Employer, Employer Follow-up, etc.

Deaf Heritage Program

This program is designed to be;

1. A family literacy program at the early intervention stage, where parents, siblings and relatives can learn ASL and Deaf culture in the comfort of their own home.  When numbers permit the early intervention heritage program can be provided in group form giving parents some time to come together in a support group atmosphere.

2. Deaf Heritage program for young adults who have had limited exposure to language (ASL & English) and the Deaf community.  Skills acquired in this program are ASL and Sign Language Training, Communication Skills, Survival Skills for the Deaf, Daily Living Skills, Consumer Skills, Community Skills, Life Skills, Deaf Culture and History.

Life Skills Program

This program is designed for deaf and hard of hearing students and young adults, who for whatever reason are moving out of home to live on their own for the first time.  Skills learned in this program are: Personal Hygiene, Personal Maintenance, Money Management, Student Loans, Income Assistance, Exercising Financial Restraint, Shopping, Cooking, Banking, Mapping Personal Safety Issues, Apartment Hunting, Reality Check, Interpreter Services.

Hearing Aid Recycling Program

This program was designed with seniors in mind, however there is no age limit for applications should they meet the financial criteria.  Donated hearing aids are sent to the  manufacturer to be refurbished, then are sent to the Regional Hospital Audiology Department for testing and mapping.  A list is then compiled and matched with individuals with similar hearing loss.  Hearing aids and moulds are provided to the successful applicant at no charge.

Mentorship Program

This program sets up a deaf child with a deaf adult to spend quality time together twice a month.  This allows the deaf child to identify with a deaf adult and be exposed to ASL and deaf culture.  Matches in this program are at the request of the parents, Family and Community Services or Social Workers.  All mentors are screened and must provide a criminal record check.

VISTA Signing Naturally

This is a fee for service program for hearing individuals to come and learn ASL and Deaf culture from deaf community ASL teachers.  Programs are 10 weeks in length and are held twice a week.  These programs are also provided on site at various employers and service providers upon request.  Currently, SJDHHS provides VISTA training levels 101 to 108.

S.E.L.F.

Self-Esteem for Little Folk is a course curriculum for deaf and hard of hearing children in the early ages who are having trouble adjusting to their hearing loss and fitting in with their hearing peers.  This program is designed to give them  positive self-esteem and improved identity.

SJDHHS is always in search of programs; often programs that are developed and implemented come from a gap in service and a request by a parent or client to have a specific need met.  The services and programs provided by SJDHHS are not limited those mentioned.

The agency also provides various workshops and seminars on a variety of topics as requested by the communities we serve; I.E., A.I.D.S., RRSP, Menopause, Cancer, Positive Attitudes, Problem Solving Skills, Deaf Culture, Mental Health, Health Care, Nutrition, Financial Services, Wills, Insurance, Stress Management, etc.

For more information please contact us by voice, TTY or email.