December 14, 2018 - 1519 views
Deaf visitors to Conwy Council's Coed Pella offices in Colwyn Bay will find easier to access essential services from next Monday when a new video interpreting service called Interpreters Live will be launched for a 12-month pilot scheme.
It means customers, who communicate using British Sign Language (BSL), will be able to contact the council through a British Sign Language interpreter.
Visitors to Conwy Council’s main offices at Coed Pella, Bodlondeb and Mochdre will have immediate access to an on-screen BSL interpreter with no prior appointment required. There are plans to roll out this service to other council buildings in the New Year.
People who do not wish, or are unable, to travel will be able to use the service face-to-face from the comfort of their own home, using a video relay system.
The new interpretation service means deaf customers will be able to call council services just as a hearing person can.
Cllr Frank Bradfield, is Conwy’s Disability Champion, he said: “We made a commitment in our Corporate Plan that we would focus on reviewing the way we engage, communicate and work with communities, so that we are progressive, modern and efficient. This pilot scheme will offer the county’s deaf community a more modern way of conversing with us, alongside our other channels such as text phone, fortnightly face-to-face interpretation sessions, and our website.”
The interpretation service is being provided by Sign Solutions. The pilot scheme will run for 12 months and will be evaluated with the county’s Deaf community.
