Meet Niamdh Braid, a deaf young person with a passion for accessibility and inclusion.
Niamdh’s story
Niamdh was diagnosed with sensorineural deafness at a young age and wears two hearing aids in her everyday life. As the only deaf person in her family, Niamdh’s parents have fought hard to ensure access to appropriate services, British Sign Language, and the deaf community. As a result, Niamdh is now studying her BSL level two and is proud of her deaf identity.
“I now feel like I have a really strong deaf identity. Last year I completed BSL level one and I’m now doing BSL level two.”
From a young age, Niamdh has been passionate about young people’s access to BSL. After campaigning for free BSL lessons for deaf children, Niamdh was invited to the Scottish Parliament where she had the opportunity to meet with various MSPs, including the Education Minister, to campaign for change.
Niamdh continues to be involved in Deaf Action’s Youth Club, meeting other young people with similar experiences and making life long friends.
“I’ve met some amazing people who I know will be lifelong friends. It’s given me so many amazing opportunities, but what’s also really good is they include my brother and parents.”
Share your story
The aim of the Deaf Like Me series is to highlight the diversity of deafness by showcasing stories and experiences from our community. If you have a story or experience you’d like to share with us, get in touch here.