About Us
Our Mission
The National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing is an established and trusted charity who advocate for hearing wellbeing. The Foundation focuses on supporting and improving the lives of the 880,000+ New Zealanders who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and on raising awareness of risks of preventable hearing loss.
What we believe
We believe that experience of hearing loss should be visible and understood in New Zealand.
We believe that everyone with a hearing loss should have access to communications technologies, tools 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 know the risks.
What we do
We advocate for vital services and support for people living with a hearing loss.
We connect people by sharing their unique stories and experiences.
We educate people about their hearing health.
We rehabilitate by helping people to access testing, information, technology and support.

In 2021,
NFDHH aim to
Raise awareness for the increasing levels of hearing loss around the world
and the World Health Organization’s call for “Hearing Care for All”.
March the 3rd is World Hearing Day and marks the launch of the World Report on Hearing and the start of Hearing Awareness Month.
NFDHH will be co-hosting an event at Parliament with Carmel Sepuloni (Minister for Disability Issues) and Hon. Andrew Little (Minister of Health). The event will support the World Health Organization’s launch of the World Report on Hearing and will be a massive call to action for policy makers and the public alike to prioritise hearing health.
Help New Zealanders who need hearing aids
to access them through the Hearing Aid Fund.
NFDHH aim to provide 100 grants in 2021 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 through our Hearing Aid Fund.
Provide early detection and intervention through our
Hearing Screening Programme in secondary schools.
NFDHH aim to grow our Hearing Screening Programme in secondary schools from 8 to 20 schools across New Zealand in 2021.
Hearing screenings for adolescents are essential for ensuring young people receive a timely diagnosis and the hearing health care they need. The data collated will also be used to highlight the rising rates of youth hearing loss in New Zealand to the Government and the need for a national adolescent hearing screening programme.
Bring the Deaf and hard of hearing community together
and foster support and connection.
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.
Advocate for a more inclusive society that recognises the challenges
that affect Deaf and hard of hearing New Zealanders.
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.
Transform New Zealand workplaces into places that are
supportive of Deaf and hard of hearing employees.
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.
Combat Youth Hearing Loss by educating kids about how to Make Listening Safe:
NFDHH aim to educate 20,000 young New Zealanders about the importance of caring for their hearing for life in 2021. 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 schools across the country.
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 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 by their hearing loss to connect. Our classes aim to offer a first step towards learning more about this amazing language.