We believe everyone should have the opportunity to have fun, socialise with friends and learn more about the world around them. Deaf/hard of hearing children and young people often miss out on these opportunities so through our Youth Club in Birmingham, we aim to provide a range of accessible activities for Deaf/hard of hearing children aged 8 and over. 

Our weekly Youth Club in Birmingham provides a safe, inclusive space where members can learn new skills, try new activities and, mostly importantly, have fun with their friends. At Youth Club, we give everything a go from circus skills and stroking snakes to animation and Yoga. Specialist facilitators and role models from the Deaf community join us along the way to help us offer a breadth of activities. During school holidays, we keep the fun going with holiday activities including trips out from bowling and sailing to climbing. Whatever our members are interested in, we try to make it happen!

The staff and volunteers who run these sessions use a range of communication techniques from British Sign Language to spoken English to make sure everyone can get involved.

Sam (name has been changed) is 11 years old. He is profoundly deaf, has Cerebral Palsy and also Autism. Sam uses speech to communicate and when he first joined Youth Club he was very quiet and reserved, hesitant to engage in 'deaf activity' as he 'talks and isn't the same as the properly deaf children'. Sam’s twin brother (hearing) initially attended with him, often acting as a go-between, ensuring he was ok and checking in with him regularly. Sam spoke very little to staff or other children. Jump forward 9 months, Sam has attended most weekly Youth Club sessions, largely without his brother. He engages, laughs throughout and often sends remarks/photos via his parents' phone after a session. Sam has asked his parents to register him for every day of our 4 week summer holiday club - a huge positive step from feeling like he 'wasn't deaf enough' to come to a Deaf club.

Reaching our fundraising target will help us continue offering our Youth Club for Deaf/hard of hearing children living in and around Birmingham.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who can support our Youth Club and every donation helps. Thank you!

Header Image: There are 6 photos showing a mixture of young boys and girls who attend the Youth Club. There are two close up photos of 2 young boys looking and smiling towards the camera and 2 young girls hugging each other and laughing. The other photos show a young girl attempting a yoga pose, a young boy in an animation session, another young girl holding up a personalised bag that she had decorated with a fox and some heart shapes and a young boy drawing. 

Images: Left to right. 1) Image shows a boy practising a high kick as another individual holds a pad up high for them to kick. 2) Image shows a boy kitted out in fire geat including a hat using a fire hose with a fireman standing nexxt to him helping. 3) Image shows a girl climbing a rock face. 

Image: Text reads Registered with Fundraising Regulator with FR in a circle to the left, all forming the Fundraising Regulator logo.