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Last Updated: 11:19 pm | Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Deaf club has meetings at YMCA

Community Services for the Deaf hosts a Deaf Teen Leadership Club meeting every month throughout the year at the Powel Crosley Jr. YMCA, 9601 Winton Road.

The Powel Crosley YMCA has donated two separate meetings rooms for the teens and their parents.

Community Services for the Deaf and the Powel Crosley YMCA collaboration will allow the Deaf Teen Leadership Club to hold a consistent meeting time and place each month. All meetings will take place at the Powel Crosley YMCA, 9601 Winton Road from 7-9 p.m. on the second Friday of every month.

The purpose of the parent information group is for parents of hard of hearing and deaf teens to get together in a supportive environment to share ideas and information about raising a deaf or hard of hearing teenager. They will share tips on IEPs, getting into college, drug and alcohol avoidance and other important issues relating to teenagers, as well as issues specifically about deafness and hearing impairments - assistive listening devices, how does a deaf or hard of hearing teenager find a job, helping them feel less isolated, etc.

The purpose of the teen group is to help the teenagers avoid feeling isolated in a school where they may not be able to communicate with other students, help them learn job seeking skills, help them avoid drug and alcohol abuse, help them learn about options for post high school education, etc. It also helps empower them to see that Deaf and hard of hearing people can do anything that hearing people can - except hear.

Deaf Teen Club is funded through a grant by an anonymous foundation. The teens are able to meet and communicate with each other through ASL and interpreters trained in ASL. Each month a different topic is discussed and special guests are invited by the group to make presentations. Topics covered are of particular interest to the teens. Teens who are deaf and hard of hearing are welcome.[/quote]

**HIGH 10** That's wonderful thing for both parents and Deaf teenagers. I wish I had an opportunity for myself and my whole family. I am very happy thing changes for a better and give Deaf teenagers the rich opportunity to share their true expression feelings without stopping them from saying it anything. No more overlapping our Deaf's conversation as I used to feel that I am not going nowhere because no one listen to me as usual.

I would love to see how it goes in the group and learn from them, too. I love to challenge and see what I like to have new learning experience into the group.

Parents and Deaf teenagers are so lucky to have a better relationship between them.

Happy journey !
Sweetmind