Thinking about college or university? Charlotte Addison, our BSL Officer and deaf role model, has been to both and shares some helpful tips.
After leaving school, Charlotte went straight to college. This was a smooth experience as they had in-house interpreters, allowing for easy access to communication support. However this meant that Charlotte was unaware of the role SAAS and DSA can play in arranging interpreters for deaf students. Charlotte went from college into childcare work, which inspired her to apply to university.
Challenging the decision
Rejected three times due to lack of budget for interpreters, Charlotte researched SAAS and DSA and decided to challenge the university. Charlotte was rejected for a fourth time, at which point she arranged a face-to-face meeting to discuss this decision. She attended with a representative from the Disability Service, meeting with the head of the course she was applying for (BA in Childcare).
Charlotte regretted not challenging this sooner, and she was finally accepted onto the course. This would not have been possible without help from interpreters and thorough research, which leads to her ultimate tip:
“Do your research, it’s your back up!”
Charlotte now works as a BSL Officer at Deaf Action. She says that developing a thick skin and believing in herself has paid off.
Check back weekly to meet new deaf role models like Charlotte!