We’re incredibly excited to share the news that two of our Lollipop parents, Naomi Scott-Johnston and Stacey Corr have brand new roles as National Deaf Children’s Society Community Connectors!
We recently met to find out more, and to ensure we can work closely to make the most of this amazing opportunity to create a stronger support network for deaf children, young people and families in the York and North Yorkshire regions. They were also able to share a wonderful examples of where their work has already benefitted families, you can find details of these below.
Stacey and Naomi’s role is to connect families with the support and resources that they need in York and the surrounding areas. They have connections with audiology, Teachers of the Deaf and hearing support teams, educational psychology and social work teams, and of course Lollipop! Their connection to Lollipop will help further strengthen our relationship as an NDCS affiliated association, especially as Stacey is also a member of the Lollipop Board of Trustees.
As community connectors Stacey and Naomi can offer one-to-one support in your home, at hospital/clinic appointments and offer signposting to funding, other parts of the NDCS and organisations that many parents new to the deaf community may not yet know about. These roles are a fantastic way to create community around deaf children and their parents, ensuring early support for families and allowing the wealth of experience of parents to be shared. Stacey says,
“What’s really important is that all Community Connectors are parents of deaf children. We were brought on board to help bridge gaps in local support by using our lived experience and local connections to build stronger community networks, and to work alongside families to find solutions to the challenges we face. My role is about bridging the gap between you and the support that already exists. I want to know what you’re struggling with — no matter how big or small — and help find solutions. The support is completely tailored to you. It’s not prescriptive, it’s not time-limited, and it’s on your terms.
A little bit more about Naomi and Stacey…
Naomi is mum to 1-year-old Lenbe, with unilateral hearing loss and wears a BAHA. She is covering the Harrogate, Thirsk, Ripon, Richmond, Skipton and Northallerton areas.
Stacey is mum to Bobby (12) and Rose (8) who both have moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. She is covering the York, Selby and coastal regions.
They both regularly attend Lollipop activities with their children, so you might have met them before. Feel free to approach them to say hello as they will be at our activity at Little Llamas at the end of the February!
An example of connections made!
I supported a family whose child has recently become a candidate for a Bone Conducting Hearing Implant. My support included providing clear information about the different types of implants available to help the parents understand their options so they have informed choice. We also discussed the British Sign Language (BSL) family classes available in their local area, and I signposted them to relevant support groups that could offer ongoing guidance.
The family expressed a wish to connect with other parents whose children have already undergone the procedure, so they could better prepare for the journey ahead, learn from lived experiences, and feel supported in choosing the most suitable implant for their son. I facilitated connections with 4 families and created pathways to help them build this community of support for the future.
Feedback after our initial conversation
“It was so lovely speaking with you last week, I really needed it, I haven’t spoken to another Mum who understands and can relate and has the same degree of knowledge as you and it helped me more than I thought it would. Your role is pivotal to the Deaf communities and I’m so glad the NDCS has funded Connectors“
Feedback after being connected with other families
“I really do feel so much better for talking things through with them all. They offer such relevant insight and it’s just what I’ve been missing so thank you sooo much for this.”
We can’t wait to share more fantastic examples of how our region’s Community Connectors are supporting families!
Click here to go to the NDCS Community Connectors webpage : Community connectors
