Why is there a 3-hour minimum fee charged for BSL Interpreting?

This is a question that we are asked a lot and suppliers providing BSL Interpreting Services will most often charge a 3-hour minimum fee.   This is because it is standard practice in this Industry for Sign Language interpreters to charge either a 3-hour minimum or a half day fee. If an Interpreter had a two-hour […]

17 signs in British Sign Language that you can use at University

As you will be welcoming deaf students to University – whether face-to-face on campus or on video – we thought it would help if we shared with you some British Sign Language signs that you can use to aid communication. We hope you find this helpful and if there are any other signs you would […]

What is Access to Work?

Access to Work is a Government scheme that funds any necessary adjustments in the workplace to make it accessible for disabled employees. It can fund: aid and equipment in your workplace adapting equipment to make it easier for you to use money towards any extra travel costs to and from work if you can’t use […]

Why is it important to inform the supplier quickly?

Challenging times right now, right?  Especially for those who are off to University this Academic year. This week, we wanted to talk about one of the things that makes a real difference for deaf students getting support nice and early. Inform the Suppliers Now before we start, we are aware that as Assessors, you are […]

Feeling isolated and lonely and misunderstood…

“I felt so left out sometimes even though I know they don’t mean it.” This is the heart-breaking headline from a recent article in The Mirror including diary entries from an 11-year old deaf girl, Lily Murray from Cumbria. Being the only deaf child in the class can be really hard and can leave someone […]

PART 4: The Deaf Customer Experience – Training

Today is the final instalment of our 4-part blog series on delivering optimal customer experience as part of the deaf customer journey and in particular with regards to wearing face coverings. In this article we will be focusing on training:  Now that you have taken a look at your deaf customer journey, decided upon which […]

PART 3: The Deaf Customer Experience – Communication

In the third part of our four part blog series, now is time to move onto a really crucial area – COMMUNICATION! We have taken a look at Understanding your deaf customer journey. Last week focused on some of the solutions available. If you are considering putting some of these in place (and we hope […]

Welcome back video for deaf University students in BSL

This week we wanted to share with you an excellent example of welcoming back deaf students.  The University of Edinburgh has released a welcome back video for deaf university students in BSL of what to expect when returning to University and also the changes that will be made in the setting due to COVID. Original video […]

What is a Specialist Support Professional (SSP)?

Specialist Support Professionals are usually recommended when assessing Deaf students. This professional works in a tailored way to support the individual’s needs and personal learning style.   This is what an SSP will work with the deaf student on:   Planning workload. Structuring assignments. Support access to research sources. Support preparation for assignments. Giving advice […]

Interpreter Lockdown Stories #1

Lockdown Story 1

What has been apparent throughout this Pandemic, is that as individuals although we have all gone through this together.  We have all had very different experiences. We have a series of 4 Interpreter Lockdown stories to share with you. As a profession, we have been connected throughout this experience and we hope that as you […]

The way terptree gives back

Our mission of changing the world for deaf people gives us great purpose and in that a philosophy of giving. Sharing our expertise to help make these changes and supporting a variety of projects where we can further our impact. One of the ways that we do this is by partnering with B1G1, a global […]

3 + 1 Main Questions from a Deaf University Applicant

Questions to Ask University Applicants

As we get nearer to the start of this new Academic year and the return to University comes closer.  It will be a very different experience for both existing and new students.  This article will take you through the 3 Main Questions from a Deaf University Applicant. What will happen this Academic year due to the […]

PART 2: The Deaf Customer Experience – Solutions

Last week we started our 4-part series on Understanding your deaf customer journey. Now that you have identified those sticking points within the customer journey, the next stage is finding solutions based on your business model and how you interact with your customers. To kick off, here are a number of simple things that can […]

Join the #Where Is The Interpreter Campaign!

#WhereIsTheInterpreter

You may have seen via social media platforms, the #WhereIsTheInterpreter campaign has been gaining some real momentum over the past couple of months. The campaign leads have been posting regular reminders onto social media platforms to ensure that the campaign continues gaining strength. The next major thing on the horizon is the government’s plan to […]

terptree TV Episode # 23: Making a difference to your customers

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

This week focused entirely on what we can do individually to make a difference and the impact that this will have on our customers. Victoria shares some examples from businesses that are doing this really well at the moment. Stay safe. PS: Sorry about the wobbling. That’s what happens when your children hold the camera […]

PART 1: Understanding Your Deaf Customer Journey

This week’s blog is the first in a four-part series starting with Understanding your Deaf Customer Journey, which will help you deliver optimal customer experience to deaf customers whilst wearing face masks. Understanding your deaf customer journey   We know that customers have a higher level of loyalty when provided with high levels of customer […]

Questions to ask Suppliers to support deaf students

We wanted to give you an idea of the types of things you should be looking for in a Supplier.  This post offers some suggestions on questions to ask Suppliers to support deaf students and will mean that you can make the best possible choice for the student. You want to have an understanding of […]

Deaf Student’s concerns over face coverings at University

Deaf students are returning to University with some concerns this month and next.  There are concerns about wearing face coverings and about returning to University face-to-face. This article will discuss deaf students’ concerns over face coverings at University, and give you some guidance about how to support deaf students at this time best.   Face […]

17 great signs in British Sign Language to use during DSA assessments

Whilst you are still assessing students for Disabled Students Allowance, we wanted to share with you 17 great signs to use during your assessment of deaf students. We hope you find this useful and if there are any other signs you would like to know, get in touch!   For more information about supporting deaf […]

How to create an easy to digest and reassuring email to customers

Wow, I have received MANY emails in the last couple of months. Emails from businesses that I buy from regularly and some whom I have only bought from once all tell me about the new shopping experience with them, how things are going to be different, and the processes that they have put in place […]

The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Klaus Schwab who is the founder of the World Economic Forum stated back in 2016 that we were “at the beginning of a revolution that is fundamentally changing the way we live, work and relate to each other”.  He even published a book called The Fourth Industrial Revolution to share his theories.   One of his […]

This Day and Age : A Poem by David Wolfenden

This Day and Age By David Wolfenden “Come in”, with a gentle voice called the old sageAfter hearing the knock, bookmarking their page,And moving around to the side of their desk.The client harrumphed and clearing their chest;Said, “Excuse me, Astute one, I’m here for our session.An odd one this week, please, I need your impressionOf […]

Live captioning: and how it works – NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR BSL INTERPRETERS

Live Captions v Interpreters

It is more important than ever for deaf people to have access to critical information and have the same opportunities as their hearing counterparts to enjoy films and TV shows like anyone else.  In this article, we will talk through the two main ways for deaf people to access information: live captioning and British Sign […]

terptree TV Episode #22: Center Parcs

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

Welcome to terptree TV Episode #22: Visiting Center Parcs in Woburn Forest – Victoria shares what she thinks of the Customer Experience.   https://youtu.be/mHsmjZzY8DE

terptree TV Episode # 21: New York Liberty Island

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

This week Victoria is still in New York on Liberty Island, sharing the history of New York and the meaning of the saying “land of opportunity”.  She also discusses the vibrancy of the NYC deaf community. Check the episode out here where Victoria is at Times Square.    https://youtu.be/DD-fQIoMr0A

Hearing loss and the Pandemic

Conversor logo

Learning how to communicate with hearing loss is challenging. With the pandemic triggering feelings of stress and anxiety, many people with hearing loss are feeling more isolated than ever before. Managing coronavirus alongside hearing loss has been a huge challenge for many, especially for those who are new to it. From essential face masks to […]

Transparent face masks: when and how to choose?

There have been many questions about whether face masks being used at universities will be accessible for deaf learners. We have (as I am sure you have) come across a number of providers of these new types of face masks.  They are being developed for communicating with deaf people. They are a cotton surround with […]

Tips to make lecture materials accessible

University Lecture Theatre

No doubt you will be using some legacy content as well as planning to stream live lectures into this Academic year. This article will help you understand how to make your content accessible to deaf students. Live lectures   With your live lectures, you can continue providing access using the same methods that you have […]

#WhereIsThe Interpreter: The pivotal role that Communication Professionals play

Where is the Interpreter image

#WhereIsTheInterpreter Campaign   Campaigns are super powerful when they are fuelled by collective action.  This is when a group of people work together on a specific focus.  This is what we have seen with the #WhereIsTheInterpreter campaign. The deaf and interpreter community is coming together with a joint aim.     Daily emergency briefings   […]

Why a smile is so important when working with face masks

Here is a post that we saw on a deaf Facebook group: “Does anyone have a customer-facing role at work?”  “How are you coping with all the surgical masks?” “I’m beginning to struggle; I need lips to read and am fed up with people telling me to use the loop system as it’s not ideal […]

Why all the posts about face masks?

A topic that has been featured widely in the media in relation to deaf people has been the use of face masks. It has been recommended that people working in a face-to-face environment wear masks.  This is to reduce the risks and transmission of the virus. But wearing a face mask means that deaf people […]

2-Phased Approach

During this Pandemic, we have seen so many changes happening in such a short space of time. The most recent being with Schools.  The decision was made to reintroduce additional year groups back into primary schools, and then the decision was overturned due to safety concerns. Followed by invitation from the school that our children […]

terptree TV Episode # 20: New York Times Square

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Broadway in New York City – Victoria shares the monumental production of Spring Awakening, showcasing deaf people’s experiences in society in 2015. Check out this episode where Victoria visits New York, Liberty Island     https://youtu.be/xvJ3px3waxg

Is your online journey accessible for deaf and disabled customers?

“Online sales as a proportion of all retailing reached a record high of 22.3% in the UK in March, demonstrating a huge shift to eCommerce by consumers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.” This was according to ONS data released at the end of April 2020. More than ever, we are all searching and […]

terptree TV Episode # 19: Mini golf in Victoria Park

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

This time on terptree TV, Victoria is visiting Mini golf in Victoria Park.  Here Victoria talks about customer experience as we know it; and looks at how it is changing dramatically, with customers seeking more from each interaction. Check out other episodes of Terptree TV here   https://youtu.be/QtUC8K0T90M

Why deaf students face isolation

Individuals gathered around a laptop

Recent stats show that 60% of deaf young people are leaving school and going to Further Education.  This is compared to just one-third of all young people.  This is a promising number until you look at the dropout rates for deaf students.  They are, in fact, twice that of the general population.   But why […]

Improve your IVR to improve inclusivity for deaf customers

A number of Industries will naturally serve a larger number of older customers, which means that there will be a larger proportion of customers with hearing loss due to the demographic. And if we take the headline statistics of 12 million people who are deaf or have hearing loss in the UK, this amounts to […]

Working remotely going forward into this next Academic year

This week, the University of Cambridge announced that they would discontinue face-to-face classes.  Opting instead for remote online lectures until the end of Summer 2021. They are the first University to set our measures for this coming Academic year.  In the news reports, it has been stated that “they recognise that it is “likely” that […]

Vulnerable shoppers become a priority

The Pandemic has unearthed the needs of vulnerable customers.  It has been interesting to see how businesses have responded to this. We’ve seen supermarkets, particularly, focusing on the needs of vulnerable customers first.  Society rallies around to support those people around us. Decisions have been made to put those people with the highest need first, […]

How to Include a Deaf Person in a Video Conference

A huge societal change during this Pandemic has been that we are all adapting to working from home.  This has meant A LOT of online meetings via various video conferencing platforms. During this blog, we will take a look at the challenges deaf people face in attending meetings remotely. We will then recommend how to […]

terptree TV Episode # 18: Madeira

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

This time on terptree TV, Victoria looks at some interesting dolphin communication facts.  She also looks at what we can learn from this clever species. For more terptree TV episodes check out our website here.   https://youtu.be/ezoV-tG1V6s

Improvements in closed captioning at Netflix

How important is it to have accurate closed captions? It’s been a few years since movie and TV streaming giant Netflix faced a backlash from viewers and even the National Association for the Deaf (NAD).  They complained they weren’t paying enough attention to their closed captioning system.   You may remember deaf viewers of the popular program […]

The Cinema Subtitling Challenge

In January 2020, the London Short Film Festival hosted the first-ever UK pilot in cinemas of the National Theatre’s smart caption glasses. It was part of an initiative launched by Action on Hearing Loss and the UK Cinema Association (UKCA).  This started from the pioneering UKCA’s Technology Challenge Fund.   In October 2018, a fund […]

terptree TV Episode # 17: Tank driving

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

This episode of terptree TV sees Victoria reflecting on the journey of the early tank builders and how this idea came from a small seed of an idea.  The key is just to start and make a small move with your deaf customer and employee experience. Check out other episodes of terptree TV here   https://youtu.be/u-lB4p6S0RY

Azera coffee deaf design

azera coffee tin

Is it me… or is it now that everywhere we look, we see deaf people absolutely smashing it? The most recent example of this is a fantastic design that was made on an Azera coffee tin. The design features British sign language, fingerspelling the words “uplifting”.  Nicely designed along a ribbon around the tin. In […]

terptree TV Episode # 16: Indoor Skydiving

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

Having just completed an indoor skydive, in this episode of terptree TV, Victoria talks about feeling the fear and doing it anyway and the benefits of doing this in business (even if you are scared!). Especially having just seen young children completing this without hesitation.   Check out more terptree TV episodes here. https://youtu.be/NOOUwhN5YZY

Purple Tuesday

Purple Tuesday celebrates another year on the 12th of November, 2019   What is Purple Tuesday?   Purple Tuesday is a day when businesses are encouraged to think about how they serve disabled customers.Despite being relatively new, it is gaining real traction. You could almost describe it as a movement.  In our history, there have […]

What is the sunflower lanyard for?

Sunflower lanyards are being used by UK airports and Airlines. The scheme was first introduced by Birmingham Airport. Lanyards at Airports These lanyards identify that a customer has a hidden disability.  This makes it easier for staff to approach customers and ask if they need help. When a customer wears a lanyard, they receive assistance […]

terptree tv Episode #15 Zoo Marine

terptree TV Episode #8: Time and Space in Alicante

This week on terptree TV, Victoria is at Zoo Marine and shares the ability that we all have to make things visual and the impact that this makes on your ‘crowd’ – i.e. your customers. A perfect example of this is when on holiday. For more episodes of terptree TV check them out here.   […]

Gloves that turn sign language into audible speech: developing world

terp tree blog

Roy Allela is a twenty-five-year-old Kenyan engineer and innovator.  He has created a set of gloves to allow better communication between deaf and hearing people. The Sign-IO gloves have sensors on each finger that can detect the positioning of each finger.  This identifies hand shapes forming signs.  Then translating, the signs into audible speech via […]

THE 2019 RELAXED PROM – PROM 24

This week I went to the relaxed BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Having not heard of this before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What an amazing experience! This is simply a 1 hour and 15 min concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.  But it felt as if there was much […]

How to write in Plain English

As a business, we get many requests from clients wanting to know how to make their information accessible for Deaf people. Due to the grammatical differences between British Sign Language (BSL) and English, it can often be difficult for Deaf people to access information. So, the helpful team at terptree have put together some guidance […]

How to work with a BSL Interpreter

Is it your first time working with a BSL Interpreter? Are you going to be working with a BSL Interpreter for the first time?  It may even be your first time meeting a deaf person.  It’s natural to be feeling a bit nervous, but don’t panic as this is totally normal. That’s why we’re here! So […]

Four weddings and a funeral returns for Comic Relief

Four weddings and a funeral returns for Comic Relief

Four weddings and a Funeral first hit our screens in 1994 and featured a deaf actor, David Bower, playing the part of Charles’ (Hugh Grant) brother. The fact that such a well-loved film featured a deaf actor is still talked about today.  A great opportunity to showcase a deaf character who is strong and assertive, […]

Hostages not Ostriches

Earlier this year, it was my deaf friend Rosie’s birthday. I had organised a surprise afternoon tea for her in February, but the unprecedented amount of snow completely thwarted our plans! Due to our crazy lives, always filled with busy weekends, we didn’t get to enjoy the planned ‘birthday tea’ until April. Although by then, […]

A deaf woman’s experience of retrieving over £8000 back from scammers

Back in June this year, Louise Harte was enjoying a well-deserved holiday in Cyprus.  She was blissfully unaware of at the time that a series of events was about to unfold, with extremely upsetting consequences, which would see her experience retrieving over £8000 back from scammers. What transpired would be hard enough for anyone to […]

UK Airports are failing deaf passengers

The holiday fun starts when you set foot inside the Airport. That is, for most people.  If you’re a deaf passenger, it’s not always that easy.  In July this year, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published an interesting report. It highlighted that Birmingham, Gatwick and Stansted Airports failed to meet the expectations specifically for serving customers […]

terptree TV Episode #7: Loose Women

This episode of terptree TV #7 sees Victoria visiting the television studios as an audience member of Loose Women.   https://youtu.be/J5dzylJTQus

terptree’s 12th Birthday!

terptree celebrates its 12th birthday!  Yes, it is a happy 12th birthday to terptree! From small beginnings in wanting to provide a much higher quality of British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreting to now having a huge mission of changing the world for deaf people. Have a look at what we have been up to over these […]