19 July 2022
Following the BSL Act which legally recognises BSL as a language of England, Scotland and Wales for the first time, the Government has now announced recruitment plans for BSL users to join their BSL Advisory Board. This will see BSL users on the Board advising the Government on key issues impacting the Deaf community and on the implementation of the Act.
Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health - Chloe Smith has launched recruitment for the newly formed BSL Advisory Board and says:
"The British Sign Language Act is helping to remove barriers faced by Deaf people in daily life and the Advisory Board is a key element of this important work.
The Board will help deliver better outcomes for the Deaf community by advising Government on how to tackle key issues facing Deaf people, such as how to increase the number of BSL interpreters and making sure BSL is at the heart of Government policy.
I would urge anyone with a passion for helping us create a more inclusive and accessible society to consider applying for a position on the Board."
The Board will be co-chaired by one external and one senior civil servant chair. The Board membership will comprise of at least 16 members plus the co-chairs, with a majority of Deaf BSL signers including Deafblind people and/or those who use tactile sign. For the Board members and the independent co-chair, the main criteria for appointment will include a lived experience of BSL, alongside a willingness to work collaboratively in assisting the government to be more accessible.
For the first time in government, applications will be accepted in BSL, and the Board will have both BSL and English as their official languages.
The closing date for applications is 5:00pm, Friday 2nd September 2022.
All the key information, including BSL translations can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-join-the-british-sign-language-bsl-advisory-board
