News

🎥 (See our other recent post for our Auslan video about this event)

Why does Auslan do that?
Joint our National Week of Deaf People Workshop!
Ever wondered why Auslan uses space, movement, face and body the way it does—or why some signs change over time? Join this relaxed, ...interactive workshop to explore the “hidden rules” of everyday signing. No linguistics knowledge needed—just bring your Auslan and curiosity. Its free - Deaf participants get priority; others go on a waitlist.
🗓️ Friday 25 September 4pm - 5:30pm
📍 Ross House, 3/251 Flinders Ln, Melbourne
Secure your ticket via the link in our bio or here: "Why does Auslan do that?" - Deaf Community Workshop with Darlene Thornton
But hurry - tickets close on 23 September!
Event conducted in Auslan only. Deaf participants get priority; others go on a waitlist.
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We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS.

Why does Auslan do that?

Joint our National Week of Deaf People Workshop!

Ever wondered why Auslan uses space, movement, face and body the way it does—or why some signs change over time? Join this relaxed, interactive workshop to explore the “hidden rules” of everyday ...signing. No linguistics knowledge needed—just bring your Auslan and curiosity. Its free - Deaf participants get priority; others go on a waitlist.

🗓️ Friday 25 September 4pm - 5:30pm
📍 Ross House, 3/251 Flinders Ln, Melbourne

Secure your ticket via the link in our bio or here: "Why does Auslan do that?" - Deaf Community Workshop with Darlene Thornton

But hurry - tickets close on 23 September!

Event conducted in Auslan only. Deaf participants get priority; others go on a waitlist.

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We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS.

Transcript in comments.

Our two GM's - Philip and Natasha visited Geelong today to meet with Deaf Victoria staff - Mel and other Deaf community members to discuss the future for Deaf programs and services in the Geelong area.👏

#DeafCommunity #GeelongMeeting #FuturePrograms #DeafServicesGeelong ...#CollaborationInclusion

Transcript:
Hi everyone! The next Deaf Life Skills Workshop is on Thursday 10 September from 10-11:30am in Melbourne CBD, at Ross House on the same floor level as the
Deaf Victoria office. Our next topic will be employment. We'll discuss looking for work, applying for jobs and answer ...any questions you might have about employment. If you're keen to learn more, come along. Or if you're bored at home with nothing to do, feel free to join us, too! It would be great to see familiar faces as well as old ones. I look forward to seeing you at the next workshop! Bye!

Yesterday, Deaf Victoria’s General Manager Philip Waters was proud to MC DARU’s Strengthening Disability Advocacy Luncheon 2026. Now more than ever, coming together to strengthen advocacy across the disability community is so important. We heard from Senator Jordon Steele-John, a strong voice ...for disability rights and inclusion, as well as leaders from across the disability sector. The panel brought together Brett Casey, CEO of Deaf Connect; Dan Stubbs, Victoria’s Public Advocate; Emma Bennison, CEO of Disability Advocacy Network Australia; and Julie Kun, Interim CEO of Women with Disabilities Victoria. A valuable conversation about collaboration, leadership and our collective responsibility to keep pushing for a more inclusive and accessible community. #DisabilityAdvocacy2026 #InclusiveCommunity #StrengtheningAdvocacy #DisabilityRights #CollaborationLeadership #DARUevent #AccessibleCommunity

Craft & Chat in Geelong

Are you part of the Geelong Deaf community? Come along for a relaxed and creative afternoon, with afternoon tea provided.

📅 Thursday 24 September, 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
📍 Bluebird House, 150 Swanston Street, Geelong

Bring your own ...sewing, crochet or other craft project.

Hosted by Renee d'Offay.

📧 RSVP or questions: Email mel.pritchard@deafvictoria.org.au

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We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS.

As part of our Parliament in Auslan project with @victorianparliament our Manager Philip Waters interviewed Legislative Assembly Speaker @mareeedwardsmp , who is hard of hearing, to learn about her work at the Parliament of Victoria.

Want to see more of this conversation? The full ...interview can be found on the Parliament in Auslan webpage at https://vicparl.news/auslan

Transcript: Hello! I'm pleased to let you know that next Thursday we'll be holding our Deaf Life Skills Workshop. Brent will be facilitating the workshop. It will run from 10:00 - 11:30am at Deaf Victoria. Brent will be teaching us about the NDIS, including how to obtain funding, how to ...budget, and how to allocate funding towards different supports such as assistive technology, alarms and other supports. He'll explain everything you need to know in detail. We look forward to seeing you there on Thursday. Thank you. Bye.

Deaf Tips Video Series - Using Captions on Google Chrome

Our Peer Support Navigator, Anna, shows us how to turn on automatic captions in the Google Chrome browser. This setting may help if you are watching a video that does not already have captions. Other browsers may have a similar ...feature, but this can vary. You can also check your browser's extension store for caption tools and extensions.

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We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS.

This video shares tips only. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by any brands, products, or apps shown.

Transcript: Hello there, and welcome to Deaf Tips. Do you use Google Chrome on your laptop or computer? Did you know that if you're watching a video without captions it can automatically bring up captions on screen? Take a look! So, this video doesn't have captions. However, I can modify the settings. Check it out. From the browser, click on the three dots at the top right corner, click on "Settings", scroll down to "Accessibility", and toggle on Live Captions. If you want turn the captions on or off, or modify them, this is where to find these settings. Click on this icon (with the musical symbol) at the top left corner, and toggle that on or off. Cool, right?! It may not be perfect all the time, but you might still find it helpful. If you use a different browser, such as Safari or Firefox, their settings may or may not have captions. If they don't, that's okay, it's possible that the browser's extension store may have an extension for captions. If they do, you could download it and give it a go. Let us know how it goes! I hope that was helpful. Have a good day. Bye!

What a way to start the day!

This morning, we welcomed our community to Melbourne Town Hall for Deaf Victoria’s AI & You Breakfast Event, with Deaf AI expert Ravi Vasavan.

Ravi took us through the rapidly changing world of AI in a way that was practical, accessible and ...genuinely entertaining. From getting better results from AI to learning how to “spot the machine” in AI-generated writing, there was plenty of discussion, laughter and some great questions from the room.

A big thank you to Ravi for sharing his knowledge with our community, to everyone who joined us bright and early, and to our event sponsors and supporters Deaf Children Australia, Deaf Connect, Convo, Auslan Services and Communication eXtra for helping us make the morning possible.

We loved seeing the room so full and the conversations continuing well after the presentation finished.

#DeafVictoria #DeafCommunity #Auslan#AI #Accessibility #InclusiveTechnology

Deaf Tips - Making a complaint

Our Peer Support Navigator, Brent, shares some practical tips for making a complaint when you experience communication barriers or accessibility issues. Complaints can help organisations improve their services and better understand the needs of Deaf and hard ...of hearing people. Brent also explains what information to include in a complaint and where to get support if you need help through the process.

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We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS.

This video shares tips only. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by any brands, products, or apps shown.

Transcript: Wow... Oh, hello! Hi, welcome to Deaf Tips. I was just reading about history. Did you know that in the past, making a complaint was very different? People had to write letters by hand, mail them, and wait a long time for a response - sometimes not knowing if they would get one at all. So… does that mean it’s easy to complain now? Not quite, but I’ll show you how. Come along! If you want to make a complaint, I know it can feel really hard. Sometimes it can be frustrating, stressful, or nerve-wracking, and you might not know what to say. Because of this, many deaf people don’t bother making a complaint. But complaints are important. They help services improve, and better understand the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people. If you need support making a complaint, you can contact us. We can guide you through the process. If you want to make a complaint yourself, that’s great. I’ll explain what to include. If you experienced a barrier from someone, please remember to note: When did it happen, and what time? Who was involved? How did it happen? What was the impact on you? For example, you might have been ignored, or your communication needs were not met. You can include those details to help provide evidence later. It’s also important to think about what outcome you want. For example, you might want: an apology, a meeting to talk things through and clarify information, more interpreters provided, or better communication in the future. If you’re still feeling unsure or stuck, that’s okay. Email: or come along and visit Deaf Victoria!

Deaf Victoria is delighted to announce our new General Manager – Service Delivery, Natasha Gallardo!

Natasha brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience across the not-for-profit, health and commercial sectors in Australia and New Zealand. Most recently, she served as ...Chief Executive Officer of the National Foundation for Deaf & Hard of Hearing (NFDHH) in New Zealand, where she led the organisation through a period of significant growth over eight years. Natasha brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the role, having lived with hearing loss since her teenage years. She is passionate about improving accessibility, inclusion and outcomes for the deaf and hard of hearing community. As General Manager – Service Delivery, Natasha will lead the development of new programs and initiatives that strengthen Deaf Victoria's impact and create new opportunities for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Please join us in welcoming Natasha to the Deaf Victoria team.

Video transcript:
Simon: Hello, I'm Simon Anderson, and this is my sign name. I'm the President of the Board at Deaf Victoria. Today, I'm very excited to announce that we have a new staff member joining our team. Her name is Natasha Gallardo, and this is her sign name. Natasha is joining Deaf Victoria as our General Manager - Service Delivery. We're thrilled to have her on board as we continue to move Deaf Victoria forward. Natasha brings a wealth of experience, having spent the past eight years as CEO of the National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing in New Zealand. Thanks to her work, that organisation achieved significant growth and success, so we're very fortunate to have her joining Deaf Victoria. Natasha will help ensure that our organisation continues to grow, achieve its goals for the deaf community through advocacy, service delivery and community participation. If you see Natasha, please give her a warm welcome. We're especially grateful that Natasha also brings lived experience as a hard of hearing person herself. How exciting. Cheers!
Natasha: Hello! My name is Natasha. This is my sign name. I'm so excited to be joining Deaf Victoria. Cheers!

Deaf Tips Video Series - Using Airport Apps

Our General Manager, Philip, shares how airport and airline apps can help deaf and hard of hearing travellers stay informed. These apps can provide useful information such as flight times, delays, gate changes, airport maps and more, helping you... travel with greater confidence and peace of mind. ✈️

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We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS.

This video shares tips only. We are not affiliated with or sponsored by any brands, products, or apps shown.

Transcript: Oh, hi! Welcome to Deaf Tips. My name is Philip. I'm about to go to the airport. Like many deaf and hard of hearing people I worry about what when the next plane is, and if there are delays or gate changes. Hearing people can access speaker announcements that deaf people often miss. So I have an app called Melbourne Airport. It's good. It has lots of information – flight times, delays, gate numbers, car parks, shops, and maps. So plenty of good information. For me, it's worth it as it reassures me that my flight is still on time with no changes. I need to go now. See you there! The app's map shows that my gate's that way. Come along! Melbourne Airport has its own app, and other airports across Australia do too – like Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth airports. Or you might prefer using your airline’s app. For example, Qantas, Jetstar or Virgin all have their own apps, too. So you can choose what you like. I'm about to leave now. Wish me safe travels – and I wish you safe travels too. Please follow Deaf Victoria for more tips in the future. Bye!