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What plans, if any, are there for supporting these new brothers once they have completed their Deaf/HH NWTA?
This question is valid one. That is the question that many centers have when learning about this weekend.
The planning committee and I faced this issue after the success of our first Deaf/HH NWTA weekend last year.
The answer to this question is both yes and no.
We are aware that we are sending some men back to his local community alone after the first Deaf/HH NWTA weekend. I am sure that you are interested in learning that I have been closely following and keeping tabs on all 13 men.
Out of 13 deaf and hard of hearing men that were initiated, 10 men completed Primary Integration Training (PIT). 5 men completed it alone or with other deaf/hard of hearing men with no interpreter and other 5 men completed it with interpreters.
A brother who was the second deaf man initiated in 1999, has been remained with his MKP Houston community since that time. He completed his PIT with interpreters. He did his staffing 2 times with interpreters and Men of Service (MOS) once without interpreters). He co-facilitated with other PIT facilitators for the group of deaf and hearing men after Deaf/HH NWTA weekend with interpreters.
Another brother who was the third deaf man initiated in 2004, has been involved in his MKP Greater Washington community since that time. He did his staffing 4 times (two times with interpreters and two times without interpreters!) He also did his MOS (now known as Hearth Keepers) once without interpreters. Furthermore, he took workshops, Basic Staff Development Training and Carpet Facilitation for I-Groups without interpreters!
He never ask for interpreters, and somehow his hearing brothers found a way to communicate with him by asking what he needs. He also had been involved in his I-group, One-Eyed Kings for past three years and he was only deaf man there and again there is no interpreter. He co-facilitated with other PIT facilitators for deaf men two times. His community has been creative in finding a way to include him without an interpreter and it has been a success.
This brother I recently share with you above happens to be me. This is one of few instances I am sharing with you.
The key is how his community welcomed him and included him in every possible ways ---when it lacked the resource to provide him such as an interpreter, so it had to be creative. And it did.
That is my answer in responding to your concerns of how to support deaf and hard of hearing men because of lack of resources in place to offer them a follow-up support, i.e. PIT training, etc.
The main thing is for you and your community is to welcome and accept deaf and hard- of-hearing men into your community. You can ask a man how you and your community can meet his needs. It might be simple as writing on papers, using point power presentation, using laptop for communicating.
Again, I can’t emphasize enough here, is to welcome with open arms and accept deaf and hh men into your community.
What really impact the Deaf/HH NWTA committee are stories from deaf men after the first Deaf/HH NWTA weekend. They individually shared their stories with them how their weekend had impacted them and changed their lives for better.
We have two I-groups for deaf and hard of hearing men who return from the Deaf/HH NWTA weekend. One I-group, Diverse Elephants is located in Houston, TX and another group, notASLeep in Washington, DC.
For some men who return to their local community alone, we will make every effort to connect each man to warrior brothers in his community. We encourage every man who attends the weekend to contact a center that is close to his home. The rest is up to him.
Sometimes we only plant seeds; sometimes we have great impact. Most of the time, we will never know. Therefore, for each of us in the committee to keep going, we must really believe that what we are doing is for a greater good and makes a difference. Deaf men’s testimonials have re-affirmed our commitment to this worthy endeavor.
Each man’s life that is touched is the beginning of a new ripple in the pond of life. It is also our hope that each man we touched, will be able to access the wisdom to create personal vision, direction, and goals, as well as the power to fulfill them. Each man will learn to change where they came from in life to a place that allows clarity, respect, and fulfillment.
I invite you and your community to be open to this new possibility regardless of how it will meet deaf and hard-of-hearing men. Based on my work with Deaf/HH NWTA committee and my experience with MKP, concerns you have brought to our attention will somehow work themselves out in most amazing ways we never thought possible. The Greater Washington, Philadelphia (yes), and Houston communities have been constantly surprised and amazed me a few times, when I least expect it. And it has completely changed my outlook on hearing people for good and that is a priceless gift and a miracle that I have been given by MKP.
Please do not limit yourselves to this wonderful possibility. It is our hope of the steering committee that your community will consider in supporting this endeavor for the present and future Deaf/HH NWTA weekend.
In service,
AJ Roupp,
Deaf/HH NWTA Committee
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