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Deaf community

Deaf Australia represents the views of Deaf people who use Auslan (Australian Sign Language). These Deaf people make up the Australian Deaf Community.

The Deaf community also includes some hearing people who use Auslan, for example hearing children of Deaf adults (known as CODAs). It is Auslan that is at the core of the Deaf community and is its most important unifying and identifying characteristic.

Deaf Australia plays an important role in promoting and preserving the Australian Deaf community, its language and cultural heritage, and in keeping the community strong. We do this in many different ways.

Each year Deaf Australia hosts a National Week of Deaf People to celebrate the achievements of the community and its people, and to promote them to the wider community.

We give Deaf Australian and Deaf Australian Youth of the Year Awards to honor and celebrate the achievements and contributions of individual Deaf people.

We conduct workshops for our state branches to develop their knowledge and skills, and for Deaf people generally to increase their knowledge and independence.

We run programs and activities for Deaf youths, in conjunction with our state branches.

This community section of the Deaf Australia website is where you will find information about Deaf Australia's activities that are aimed at developing our Deaf community, keeping it strong, and promoting it to the wider community.

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