bout Us
Deafness Support Network is an Equal Opportunities employer and, as such, has achieved a high rate of employment of D/deaf people (about 40% of its staff). This means that service users needs are met by people who share their identity and language and are able to communicate appropriately. Interpreters are also used in house by our DSN colleagues, paid for by Access to Work. This has been another government initiative that has enabled our services to the D/deaf community to grow and improve. As with any organisation there is always a level of staff turnover, the longest serving member of the organisation has been with us for 31 years. Part of the reason for our retention of staff is the training that is offered and the involvement we have in the decision making of the organisation.
As a result of DSN's restructuring and the development of a range of 'in house' services, the way in which we provide our services is changing for the better and DSN's communication Service and Social Work Team have a major part to play in the continuing delivery of high quality services throughout the Network's entire area of operations.
Deafness Support Network Trustees
Every charitable organisation, large or small, or in between, is run by a Board of Trustees. They are responsible for making sure the organisation does what it was set up to do, that the money that comes in is spent efficiently and for the right purposes.
In a small charity the trustees usually do most of the work, but in a larger charity such as Deafness Support Network the work is mostly delegated by professional staff.
In DSN, the board of trustees is usually referred to as the 'Council' but the function is the same. the board meet four times a year, receive reports on the work of the Network, examine financial statements, make suggestions about how things might be done better and generally check that what's happening fits into the framework of what ought to be happening.
So who are these trustees? Well they come from all sorts of backgrounds, but mostly they are people who have contacted DSN and have become interested enough to want to help run it. Most of them are themselves deaf, deafened or hard of hearing and thus have an insiders knowledge of the problems faced by deaf people.
Two of these trustees help to run the Deaf Centre in Warrington; one is very much involved with the North Regional Association for Sensory Support (NRASS). We also have, among others; a publicity expert, a surgeon and a lawyer.
Complaints Policy
This policy covers complaints about the Network by Users (Clients) and Tenants of the Services
Staff wishing to make a complaint should refer to the Grievance Procedure.
Please follow the link to view the Complaints Policy
