NZSL Board meeting summary March 2023

The NZSL Board met in March 2023. Here are the key messages from the meeting.

  • The NZSL Strategy will undergo a review this year, aim to release the refreshed strategy in 2024. This involves work across government agencies and information from the NZSL community survey to identify ways to maintain and promote NZSL.

  • We met with the Minister of Disability Issues, Minister Radhakrishnan, to discuss key priorities and
    issues. The board raised the need to strengthen the alignment between NZSL Act and NZSL Strategy. We look forward to working with the Minister to strengthen access and use of NZSL in New Zealand.

  • A lot of work has been done to understand some of the issues for NZSL Interpreters and the Deaf community. This has included lots of reports over the past five years and meetings around the country. In August the Board will receive a NZSL Interpreter Workforce Strategy to identify who the Board can work with to resolve these issues such as the availability of interpreters and providing a neutral process for any complaints and resolutions.

  • In December, ODI announced that NAATI would be used to assess interpreter skills. NAATI is a system that is being funded by the government through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to assess and monitor the skills of all involved in providing interpreter services for spoken languages, as well as sign language. We met with representatives from AUT and SLIANZ to discuss details about the qualifications needed to be eligible for a NAATI interpreter test.

  • We received an update about te rōpū Kaitiaki and their work to develop a five year action plan. We look forward to our next meeting in May when we will meet with members of the rōpū to discuss priorities.

  • The Board are funding Wall Walk workshops for the Deaf Community. The workshops explain the history of Māori in New Zealand and actions that have oppressed their culture and language. We recommend attending these workshops then they are delivered in your area. This year they will be held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

  • We also met Ministry of Education staff to discuss NZSL workforce pressures. We look forward to discussing ways the Board can support Deaf people to teach NZSL and how the Ministry of Education can commit to actions in the NZSL Strategy.

  • Last year many of you finished the NZSL Community survey. The final report will be released soon, and some online meetings held to discuss what the information means.

  • Finally, applications for NZSL Community Grants are now open, we look forward to hearing your ideas for how to maintain and promote NZSL. The closing date is Friday 7th April 2023.

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