Annual Report 2021-2022

President’s Report

Kia ora Koutou

I am so pleased to be sharing Deaf Aotearoa’s Annual Report with you, as I am very proud of the success the boards and staff have had over the past year.

I would like to acknowledge the wonderful support the Executive Board has provided me with and for the work they have been doing to ensure Deaf Aotearoa can provide access for the Deaf community to events, information and opportunities.

I would like to thank former board members Oliver Ferguson, Celia King, Jake LaBerge, Sonia Pivac and Meghan Coppage who have also served during the past three years.

The Executive Board appointed Theresa Cooper as the new chairperson of the DAHL Board earlier this year and we would like to thank her and the DAHL Board for their strong management of the finance, legal, and health and safety responsibilities of Deaf Aotearoa. It’s important that we continue to support our staff so they can deliver high standard services to the Deaf community.

Thank you to the NZSL Board for their work in promoting and strengthening NZSL. It has been good to see the increased focus on Māori Deaf and for the community to learn more about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Ao Māori.

It is also pleasing to see the establishment of the Māori Health Authority which will help to improve the lives of Māori Deaf. I’m really pleased to have Emmie Bensley, a strong Wahine Turi Māori join the Executive Board.

I am very grateful for the warm welcome from many people I meet at Deaf community events including the Wellington Deaf Society, Southland Deaf Community 65th Anniversary and the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Deaf Society of Canterbury. Thank you to all the committees and people who keep these organisations running smoothly. I was honoured to present the Māori Champion Award to Tina Brightwell and the NZSL in Schools Award at the Hawke’s Bay Deaf Club in May this year. NZSL Week is a really important time to celebrate the achievements of Deaf people and others who support NZSL.

Deaf Aotearoa continues to have a strong presence on a global level, with Victoria Manning on the WFD Board, and our board members and staff attending the WFD Conference online this year.

We are nearing the completion of the Deaf Way Review and we are looking forward to implementing improvements and changes once we have the final
report. The key findings from the report will be shared with the Deaf community.

I would like to thank Lachlan and his staff for all the hard work that they do. I know he and the staff are very passionate about their work.

I look forward to continuing to lead our organisation. We can all be proud of our achievements.

Ngā mihi
Joanne Klaver
President

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