1. Social Enterprise - Breaking Down
Barriers to Communication
Denise McConnell-Dillon, Client Services Manager

2. Hands That Talk - Mission Statement
Hands That Talk is a cross-community, voluntary
organisation which seeks to engender a pride in the
Deaf Community, its culture and language and
promote a greater interest in and awareness of deaf
people, whilst acknowledging the valid contribution
that they make to society.

3. Aims & Objectives of Social Enterprise
To break down the barriers to
communication that are faced by Deaf people
every day

4. What do we do?
-Translate web based information and paper based
information into sign language visuals up-loadable
to various web platforms as well as available on
DVD
- Providing training in Sign Language and Deaf
Awareness
- Development, distribution and sale of sign
language learning resources

5. Key Stakeholders
Deaf Community
Public Health Agency
Western Health & Social Care Trust
Community & Voluntary Sector
Private Business Sector

6. Innovation Vouchers Aims
-Provide comprehensive video skills to
employee
-Train employee skills to produce sign
language adaptations of DVD’s
- Provide a comprehensive list of hardware
and software to set up and efficiently run
social enterprise

7. Innovation Experience
-Access to an experienced professional
with a wealth of knowledge
- Excellent training and mentoring
- Improving our practices and
equipment

8. What happened next….
- Received a start-up grant from Invest NI
- Have applied for funding for an upgrade in
equipment to DARD
- Finalists in the Arthur Guinness Fund
- Working with Public Health Agency & Western
Health & Social Care Trust on various signed
information projects
-Developed new learning resources to add to our
online shop

9. Examples of what
we produce:
• http://vimeo.com/26601485
• http://vimeo.com/26601337

10. What happened next….
- Received a start-up grant from Invest NI
- Have applied for funding for an upgrade in
equipment to DARD
- Finalists in the Arthur Guinness Fund
- Working with Public Health Agency &
Western Health & Social Care Trust on
various signed information projects

12. Conclusion
- Innovation vouchers have been invaluable
- Huge thank you to University of Ulster
- Any Questions?