We can
help you
Our Mission
The wellbeing of New Zealand's Deaf and hard of hearing community is NFDHH's top priority. We focus on helping people to reconnect and transform their lives through access to support, hearing healthcare, and rehabilitation.
What We Believe
We believe that the experiences of the Deaf and hard of hearing community should be much more visible and understood in New Zealand.
We believe that everyone who is Deaf or living with hearing loss should have access to communications technologies, support and services that enable them to communicate and connect with others.
We believe no one should be at risk of losing their hearing due to noise exposure or other preventable causes, and that every New Zealander should understand the risks to protect their hearing.
What We Do
We advocate for vital services and support for people who are Deaf or living with hearing loss and to raise awareness of the health, social, educational, economical, environmental and cultural barriers encountered by the Deaf and hard of hearing community in New Zealand.
We connect people by sharing their unique stories and experiences.
We educate people about their hearing health and how to protect their hearing from preventable causes.
We collaborate through working collectively with our Member Groups to promote the interests, advancement, independence and well-being of all Deaf and hard of hearing people in New Zealand.
We rehabilitate by helping the Deaf and hard of hearing community to access services, information, technology and support.
Roadmap For 2022
2022 will be NFDHH's busiest year yet. There is a lot to do and there are many ways you can support our work and get involved.
Read on to learn about NFDHH's goals for the year ahead.
March the 3rd is World Hearing Day and in 2021 marked the launch of the World Report on Hearing. This year NFDHH, its member groups and supporting organisations aim to launch a Public Health Programme seeking government support to combat the rising levels of hearing loss and to provide better "Hearing Care for All" New Zealanders.
Read the World Health Organization’s World Report on Hearing and learn more about why there is a global call to action for policymakers and the public alike to prioritise hearing health.
Raise awareness for the increasing levels of hearing loss around the world and the World Health Organization’s call for “Hearing Care for All”.
NFDHH aim to increase the reach of our Hearing Screening Programme in secondary schools from 15 schools in 2021 to 40 schools across New Zealand in 2022.
Hearing screenings for adolescents are essential for ensuring young people receive a timely diagnosis and the hearing health care they need. The data collected will be presented to Government to highlight the rising rates of youth hearing loss in New Zealand and will highlight the need for a national adolescent hearing screening programme.
Provide early detection and intervention through our Hearing Screening Programme in secondary schools.
With the support of our donors and partners, NFDHH aim to provide 20 grants in 2022 to support hard of hearing Kiwis to access the hearing aids they need to thrive. We do this by helping to bridge the financial gap with individual $500 grants through our Hearing Aid Fund.
Help New Zealanders who need hearing aids to access them through the Hearing Aid Fund.
NFDHH will continue our efforts to make New Zealand workplaces hearing loss aware by signing on more employers to our Hearing Accredited Workplace Programme and by delivering educational workshops and hearing screenings to businesses across the country.
Transform New Zealand workplaces into places that are supportive of Deaf and hard of hearing employees.
NFDHH is focused on educating young New Zealanders about the importance of caring for their hearing for life. The Make Listening Safe programme, teaches kids to be more aware of safe levels of noise in their day to day lives, particularly digital media and music. This programme is delivered to selected secondary schools across the country and leverages our social media channels and our Youth Advisory Group, including Lily McManus, to educate young people about how to protect their hearing.
Combat Youth Hearing Loss by educating kids about how to Make Listening Safe.
NFDHH aim to support our community by offering free online beginner classes in New Zealand Sign Language. NZSL is a beautiful language and can really help those who are feeling isolated to connect. Our classes aim to offer a first step towards learning more about this amazing language.
Support Deaf and hard of hearing New Zealanders wanting to learn more about New Zealand Sign Language to take the first step on their journey.
NFDHH will continue to advocate for universal access for all Deaf and hard of hearing New Zealanders to vital services, technology, communication tools and support. We also aim to double our efforts to raise awareness for the experiences of being Deaf or hard of hearing in New Zealand and encourage everyone to be more aware. In 2022, NFDHH, its member organisations and other industry organisations aim to launch a Public Health Programme designed to bring about significant change and provide better hearing health care for all New Zealanders.
Advocate for a more inclusive society that recognises the challenges that affect Deaf and hard of hearing New Zealanders.
NFDHH aim to continue to grow and nurture our vibrant and thriving online community, where Deaf and hard of hearing Kiwis can find support and share their stories. This year our focus is on increasing our reach using social media to connect with more Deaf and hard of hearing New Zealanders and to provide meaningful and informative content that help to raise awareness, inspire and educate our community.
Bring the Deaf and hard of hearing community together and foster support and connection.