Jamaica Association for the Deaf Hearing Services

Description:

Providing support to increase the quality of life for the deaf and hard-of-Hearing community. Our services include education, a wide range of screening and diagnostic hearing tests, interpretation, Jamaican Sign Language training, book binding, school to work transition and other social services.
The Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) is a non- profit organization established in 1938. We provide education, hearing rehabilitation and human services for the advancement of Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons. The JAD’s vision is to have a fully empowered Deaf community which actively contributes to the nation’s development.

The Association, through our eight schools located island wide, provides special education as well as vocational training for Deaf community members. We also manage a Hearing Clinic, Social Services (which include transitional services, advocacy and a training unit that facilitates Jamaican Sign Language and Deaf culture education). Additionally, we operate a Fine Hand Bindery that is aimed at providing skills training and employment opportunities for the Deaf community as well as income generation for the Association.

Yearly, we embark on various initiatives to aid in the development of the Deaf Community in addition to our ongoing advocacy and education programmes. Our most recent initiatives include the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Social and Economic Integration of Persons with Disabilities Project, Teacher’s Academic Training (levels one and two) and the Advancing DeafKidz Project which is funded by Comic Relief and Deaf Kidz International. While most of our initiatives target the Deaf Community, we also aim to sensitize and build awareness among members of the general public.