A sign of the times
Zoo brings in BSL videos
Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder has installed new British Sign Language video content around the zoo following a campaign from the National Deaf Children’s Society.
Young campaigners affiliated with the NCDS conducted a site survey at the zoo in 2019 and members of the group suggested BSL video to make audio information around the park more accessible.
Three years and one pandemic later the zoo installed video clips on their information boards, allowing deaf visitors to access captions and BSL translations via a QR code.
Young Campaigner Kara Gillespie, 16, from Motherwell, said: “I visited the Five Sisters Zoo as a Young Campaigner for the National Deaf Children’s Society.
“The zoo were really interested in our opinions and listened to our suggestions.
“It’s so important for public places to be accessible for everyone and I think this is amazing that they’ve made the changes we hoped for.”
Five Sisters is now working closely with the NDCS to create a more formal partnership, which could result in accessible opportunities for deaf young people and deaf awareness training for their staff.
A spokesperson for Five Sisters Zoo said: “The National Deaf Children’s Society young campaigners conducted a fantastic site survey at Five Sisters Zoo in 2019.
“Members of this group suggested creating BSL video content would help make animal information across the park more accessible. We are absolutely delighted that this content now exists at several locations in the zoo”
Sally McNamara, youth development officer for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “As a charity representing deaf children and young people, we want to help them drive positive change.
“We work with groups of deaf young people, who we support and mentor to find ways for communities to become more deaffriendly.
“Deaf people communicate in a number of different ways and BSL is just one of these.
“It’s important to make communities and facilities as accessible and inclusive as possible for deaf people by ensuring their needs are met, no matter how they choose to communicate.
“Our Young People’s Advisory Board is a group of deaf young people who advise us on the issues that matter to them and help shape our campaigns, so that our work can make a real difference to deaf children’s lives.”