The Sympathetic Hearing Scheme is the Deaf Awareness Project of Hearing Concern.
Training also advises on how to make services more accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people.
This is particularly relevant now that service providers are under a legal obligation through part three of the Disability Discrimination Act to make themselves more accessible. Hard of hearing and deaf people can find it difficult to communicate in public places such as shops, banks, railway and underground stations, building societies and supermarkets. There is often background noise and staff can get impatient and shout at the deaf or hard of hearing people, which doesn't help. Under the scheme, when deaf and hard of hearing people show the SHS card, it shows staff how to communicate more effectively with them. Hearing Concern has the following advice on how to help deaf and hard of hearing people.