Navigating the job market can feel daunting for anyone. But for deaf and hard of hearing adults, systemic, sensory, and communication barriers often make it feel nearly impossible. Sign up to The Sensory Pathway Pilot – a new employment readiness programme for deaf and hard of hearing adults in York.
With the support of the Trailblazer Community Grant, we are launching an innovative six month employment readiness pilot in York. This isn’t just another standard job scheme. It is a personalised, sensory informed, community first initiative built by people who understand the journey.
Here is a look at how we’re doing things differently and why our team is uniquely equipped to make a lasting difference.
1. Meeting People Where They Are
Online portals, rigid application processes, and travel to unfamiliar corporate spaces create massive hurdles, especially for those dealing with isolation or digital exclusion.
That’s why we’re throwing out the traditional model. We are bringing our support directly into trusted local community hubs and church centres. By locating our pilot in areas with the highest rates of employment deprivation, we remove geographical and technological barriers from day one. You don’t need to navigate a complex system to reach us; we come to your neighbourhood.
2. Led by Lived Experience and Compassion
Confidence isn’t built through a generic checklist; it’s built through trust. Our pilot is led by two qualified, compassionate coaches who serve as peer role models with direct, lived experience of hearing loss and British Sign Language (BSL).
We believe listening is our most vital skill. Because our coaches understand the daily reality of communication fatigue and workplace isolation, we can offer culturally competent guidance that truly resonates.
3. A Track Record of Results
While this specific employability pilot is a new phase of our work, our team’s combined background in high-barrier support, advocacy, and sensory integration runs deep:
- Career Progression for the Deaf Community: Our lead coach has a proven track record of coaching a profoundly deaf employee through three consecutive workplace promotions, while actively consulting with employers to ensure long-term accessibility.
- Transitioning Vulnerable Adults into Work: In previous roles, our lead coach successfully mentored nine volunteers facing complex mental health challenges into sustained, paid employment.
- Decades of High-Barrier Support: Our broader experience spans decades of supporting marginalised groups, including individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, older adults, and individuals with learning disabilities.
- Specialist BSL & Neurodiversity Advocacy: Our co-coach brings years of dedicated advocacy, navigating the intersecting barriers faced by neurodivergent BSL users.
- Transformative Sensory Expertise: Our specialist Tomatis practitioner has screened and empowered hundreds of participants, helping them achieve functional independence across academic and professional settings.
4. A Whole-Person Approach to Job Readiness
Hearing loss isn’t just a communication issue, it’s a complex sensory and physical experience. By combining Tomatis sensory and motor screening, one-on-one neurodivergent coaching, peer support groups, and practical lipreading classes, we help clients do more than find a job: we help them build the self advocacy and confidence needed to thrive.
Join Us on the Journey
We are fully equipped and ready to launch at the end of August / early September. Whether you are a potential participant, a carer, or a local organisation looking to partner with us, we’d love to connect.
Want to learn more or refer someone to the pilot?
Visit the Employment Readiness Programme page or reach out to our team today – rachel.barber@living4moments.com and info@dasy.co.uk.
Let’s break down barriers together.
Supported by the Trailblazer Community Grant.
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