A membership body like Deafness Forum Australia can offer numerous benefits to its members while also enabling them to contribute significantly to the organisation’s goals and initiatives.
Below is a list of examples of what we can do for a member, followed by an explanation of how a diverse and representative membership enhances Deafness Forum Australia’s authority and effectiveness.
Our members include people living with hearing loss and their families; as well as associations of, or for these people; and individuals and associations which provide services that promote hearing health and wellbeing.
Benefits to Members
- Access to Information and Resources: Members receive up-to-date information on research, developments, and policies related to deafness and hearing impairment via the regular national newsletter.
- Networking Opportunities: Membership provides access to a community of individuals and organisations with similar interests and concerns. Events, communities of practice, and forums facilitate networking, sharing of best practices, and collaborative opportunities.
- Advocacy and Representation: We advocate for our members at various levels, including government, to influence policies and programs that affect the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
- Promotion: We promote the members’ various initiatives and position statements and aid them in developing policies and platforms for advocacy.
Enhancing Citizen Consultations and Co-Design
Deafness Forum Australia can play a pivotal role in facilitating meaningful citizen consultations, engaging community members in committees, and co-designing processes for member organisations that incorporate the perspectives and needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
- Identifying Interested Participants: We can help organisations identify and reach out to individuals in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community eager to share their insights, experiences, and expertise. Our extensive organisation ensures that consultations and co-design processes benefit from a wide range of perspectives, including those of individuals with different degrees of hearing loss, communication preferences, and lived experiences.
- Facilitating Engagement: Our organisation is a bridge between organisations and the deaf and hard-of-hearing community by encouraging engagement opportunities. This includes organising forums, roundtables and surveys where organisations can directly interact with community members. Our expertise in accessible event planning ensures that these interactions are fully inclusive and productive.
- Communication Support: To ensure effective participation, we offer support in overcoming communication barriers that might hinder the deaf and hard-of-hearing community’s involvement in consultations and co-design efforts. This can include providing advice on sign language interpreters, captioning services, hearing loops, and other forms of hearing augmentation.
- Advising on Best Practices: We can offer organisations guidance on best practices for engaging with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. This includes insights on how to approach consultations inclusively, ensuring that all participants’ voices are heard and valued.
- Amplifying Outcomes: Following consultations or co-design activities, Deafness Forum Australia can help amplify the outcomes and recommendations arising from these efforts. By sharing results with our broader network, we can help ensure that the insights gained reach a wider audience and contribute to broader awareness and understanding of the specific needs and preferences of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Through these support mechanisms, Deafness Forum Australia facilitates our members’ direct involvement in important decision-making processes and enhances organisations’ capacity to conduct consultations and co-design initiatives that are truly inclusive and reflect the diversity within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Organisations’ collaborative approach ultimately leads to more effective, sustainable, and impactful outcomes for all involved.
Contribution to Deafness Forum Australia
Members contribute to the work of Deafness Forum Australia in several ways:
- Sharing Expertise and Insights: Members bring valuable perspectives, expertise, and lived experiences that enrich the organisation’s understanding of the needs and challenges of the community it represents.
- Volunteering: Members actively volunteer in various capacities, from participating in committees and working groups to helping organise events and campaigns. This voluntary support is crucial for the organisation’s operations and initiatives.
- Advocacy and Awareness: By participating in advocacy campaigns and community outreach, members help raise awareness about issues affecting the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, amplifying the organisation’s voice.
- Financial Support: Membership fees and donations provide essential financial support that helps fund the organisation’s programs and advocacy efforts.
The Importance of a Diverse and Representative Membership
One of the primary beneficiaries of membership is our organisation, Deafness Forum Australia. A diverse and representative membership grants us the authority to speak on behalf of sector matters with a citizen focus. This diversity ensures that our advocacy reflects the broad spectrum of experiences and needs within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. It strengthens our position when negotiating with policymakers, stakeholders, and the broader community, as we can legitimately claim to represent a wide range of interests and perspectives. Furthermore, a representative membership base enables us to identify and address emerging issues more effectively, ensuring that our initiatives are relevant and responsive to the community we serve. Ultimately, this authority and legitimacy enhance our ability to make a meaningful impact, advocating for positive changes and improvements that benefit the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Your membership in Deafness Forum Australia is a public display of your belief in the need for an independent national voice that advocates for the issues and concerns of Australians with hearing challenges.
Contact us
Steve is our CEO and he would be happy to discuss it further. Email him at info@deafnessforum.org.au
Ready to join? See the sections below.
Individual members
An individual member can be person who has a hearing difficulty, is Deaf, a member of their family, or someone who provides services (teachers, researchers, audiologists, etc.). The annual membership fee for individuals is $45. New memberships for people under 26 years or a parent or guardian are free for the first calendar year.
If the annual fee is unaffordable, we will waive the fee. You won’t need to explain or prove anything. When you complete the form (below), just write a note that you “accept the invitation to be a member at no cost”.
Download an Individual’s membership application form.
Organisation members
An organisation member can be a consumer association – an organisation that is of or for people with hearing loss – or a service provider association, which provides services that support people with hearing loss. Annual membership fees for organisations start at $105 and increase on a scale to reflect an organisation’s annual income. The specific rates are listed in the application form.
Download an Organisation membership application form.
Renewing your membership
You can renew your membership just by sending an email to info@deafnessforum.org.au and we will invoice you later. If the annual fee is unaffordable, just let us know in the email and there will be no questions. We will be pleased if you can continue as a member.
Other ways you can be involved
- Make a difference and support us with a donation, just fill in our donation form
- Keep up to date with our One in Six newsletter, subscribe here
- Be involved in our events throughout the year, such as World Hearing Day – you can find our more on the Events tab.
- Follow us on Facebook
- Tell us your opinions and concerns by email