Charity launches new online platform for deaf young people

The Buzz, aimed at deaf youngsters aged 8-18 across the UK, will also give them a safe space to ask questions, discuss problems and find deaf-friendly events in their area.

The site is growing rapidly and posts already include coping with face masks, reviews of British Sign Language apps and how to talk to an employer about being deaf.

There are 50,000 deaf children and young people in the UK, but many find they’re the only deaf pupil in their school and often struggle to meet people who’ve shared the same experiences.

The Buzz will be give them a platform to do just that and will be fully moderated and free of charge for everyone who signs up.

More than 1,500 deaf young people were involved in designing and testing the platform, with thousands more expected to join over the coming weeks.

Several deaf influencers, such as Jazzy Whips and Benny Ngo, are also signed up to post content as the site gets underway.

The site is now live at http://www.thebuzz.org.uk.

Kara Gillespie, 15 from Motherwell, is deaf and helped design the site. She said:

“I wanted to get involved because I feel very strongly about helping people, deaf people especially, and The Buzz does exactly that.

“A lot of deaf people don’t feel safe to talk about their feelings and so it will be a fantastic place for us to chat and learn. It’s important that deaf people can feel secure when they talk about things and having the option to ask questions on the website is really effective too.

“A lot of deaf people are going to benefit from The Buzz and I’m really happy to see it ready to launch.”

Deaf YouTube star Jazzy Whips, who has more than 200,000 subscribers, will work on The Buzz as a content creator, making entertaining and engaging videos on deaf topics. She said:

“It’s so important to have deaf role models for young deaf people, as I didn’t really have many when I was younger.

“I wish I had The Buzz when I was at that age so I could have been more confident with things such as knowing what to expect as I grew up, where to meet other young deaf people, how to find a job and how to grow in confidence with your deaf identity.

“I hope that by sharing my own experiences young deaf people may feel inspired, or comforted, knowing they can relate to or even learn from my experiences. We’re all in this together.”

Jazzy is also on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook.

Rosie Eggleston, Participation Manager at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said:

“The Buzz is a ground-breaking safe space designed by deaf young people, for deaf young people and we’re delighted to be launching it today.

“So many deaf young people have told us how they’ve struggled to meet others like them, who’ve shared their experiences and understand exactly how they feel.

“The Buzz is here to change all that and it will give each and every one of them a chance to ask questions, post videos and express themselves in an accessible and inclusive environment.

“It’s a very exciting time and we’re hoping that thousands of deaf young people from across the UK will sign up and get involved.”