More about the Bus

The UK’s only touring information centre for deaf children, the NDCS Listening Bus, has developed hugely over the last fifteen years. With loads of resources, information and technology onboard, it is more popular than ever and is reaching record numbers of deaf children all over the country. Gabrielle Nagle explains how a visit can help local deaf children and their families in your area.

What to expect from a visit

This unique and free service is for deaf children and young people, their families, friends and professionals working with them. Visitors have the chance to try out a wide range of the latest technology onboard ranging from bluetooth neckloops (for ipods, mobile phones and TV) to vibrating alarm clocks, flashing doorbells and amplified phones. There is an interactive whiteboard to access online resources and also signing puppets to keep young visitors entertained.

A visit from the bus gives young deaf people access to lots of useful information as well as all NDCS’ free publications and services. The excellent schools resources are also on show on the bus such as the NDCS Schools Pack, Acoustics Toolkit and Deaf Friendly Pack for Teachers so schools can ensure all staff are fully informed on how to support their hearing impaired students. Visitors can find out about NDCS events and activity weeks away, which provides deaf young people the opportunity to meet others like themselves and take part in fun and exciting activities like rock climbing, biking, canoeing, football matches and much more- all completely free.

Families visiting the bus can find out about parent led local groups in their area who are valuable contacts in providing further support, sharing local information/resources and bringing families of deaf children together. Parents of recently diagnosed deaf children will find the NDCS Family Weekends particularly useful and details on how to attend these can also be found on board the bus. NDCS Family Officers are local contacts providing families with practical support in education matters and often attend bus visits in their areas to make contact with local families.

Dedicated tour team

Damian Ball, Roadshow Coordinator, has been working on the bus for three years. “Being deaf myself I know firsthand how the right technology and equipment can make a huge difference in improving a deaf child’s communication, confidence and independence, as well as helping them learn at school.”

“We try to inform the hearing children about deafness in an interactive and interesting way. We get them to try on mock hearing aids and think about the important noises that deaf children may not be able to hear. We give them the opportunity to ask all the questions that they may have been afraid to ask their deaf classmates, hopefully taking the mystery out of deafness and encouraging them to accept everyone equally”.

The latest Listening Bus recruit is Louise Halvey, who has worked for NDCS for 2 years and joined the Listening Bus team in October 2009. “No two visits have been the same!” explains Louise. “I am really enjoying travelling the UK and informing deaf children about all the fantastic work the NDCS do for them. Damian and I are the first deaf team to run the bus and are able to relate to the deaf youngsters we meet.”

Community visits

Most of the bus’s work is with primary schools, but increasing numbers of visits are being requested by secondary schools, sixth form colleges, audiology clinics and ethnic minority communities.

“We particularly like reaching deaf children and young people in more remote areas of the UK who haven’t had the opportunity to meet many other deaf people and could hugely benefit from using this technology and also accessing NDCS services” says Damian. “The deaf children are often quite excited to meet others like themselves, sometimes for the first time ever!”

“Access to the bus is wheelchair and pushchair-friendly, and we use British Sign Language and Sign Supported English. Check the schedule for dates we’re in your area and request a visit. We’d love to see you”.