Earlier this year we completed out Aspiration, Inspiration, Motivation (AIM) project. On this project we did a 20 week British Sign Language (BSL) level 101 course with Stephen McKenna from Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP).

At the end of the course, everyone did an assessment with Steve. Jade and Emma did the final accredited exam as well.

Today we were delighted when Stephen came back to visit the group to give us our certificates. We are all feeling so proud or ourselves and everything we have achieved on this project. This is some of the feedback we have sent to Stephen:

• Paddy “I learned a lot more than I thought I would, It was really good, I enjoyed it. I can’t read or write so I learned how to communicate with others in the group in a different way which is brilliant for me.  I would really like to work with Steve again.”
• Karen “I loved learning about all the days and months on the calendar.  I learned my name and my street.”
• Jade “It’s helped me to communicate with our deaf members better.  Steve really helped people who had difficulty signing because of their physical disabilities.  He showed them how to adapt so they could do BSL with all of us.”
• Rebecca “It was a pleasure working with Steve because he let us take our time when we were finding it hard to learn something.  He was really patient with us.”
• Lesley “It was a little bit hard doing the signs but I’ve learned how to do my birthday, name, where I live and different times of the year.  I liked working with Steve, he’s a nice fella.”
• Nicola “My dad is deaf so now I can communicate with him better.”
• Phil “It was a complete honour, privilege and experience to learn BSL with Steve.  He gave me the courage and knowledge from knowing nothing to learning what I know now.  It is amazing.  Having Debbie in the sessions as well really helped us and was a definite bonus.”