Issues
Articles about Issues commonly faced by Deafblind people in Victoria in essential services – housing, transport, education, physical and mental health, telecommunications, emergency services and the law – and helpful suggestions for how these issues might be managed.
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New Auslan video guidelines include deafblind people
How can online Auslan videos be made more accessible for deafblind people? This question is now included in the new Auslan Translation Guidelines 2026, developed by Deaf Australia with support from ACCAN. Deafblind Victoria was proud to be part of the project consortium, alongside Deafblind Australia, Deaf Connect and Expression Australia. This is an important…
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QAT – queer, trans and deafblind Auslan!
Finding a community where you feel understood can make a big difference. But people with more than one identity can sometimes face barriers in every community they belong to. Trans and gender-diverse deafblind people face many barriers. Information and trans-inclusive services may not be available in accessible formats. Communication support can be difficult to arrange.…
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LGBTIQ signs in Auslan with Steve
What does LGBTIQ mean, and how do you sign it in Auslan? In this QAT video, Deafblind Auslan teacher Steve Ripley shares his understanding of what each letter means, and demonstrates relevant Auslan vocabulary. Steve signs clearly and slowly, making the video useful for Auslan learners and deafblind Auslan users. Access to information is not…
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Jasper on diHARD Radio: Lived Experience, Access, and Community
Last year, Jasper was interviewed on diHARD: Diversity and Inclusion – The Hard Topics, a show on community radio station JOY 94.9. Jasper shared his lived experience as a deafblind queer trans man and raising awareness about what deafblindness really means in everyday life. In the interview, Jasper spoke honestly about common misconceptions. “Being treated…
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Rec day at Frankston’s Accessible Beach
It’s a beautiful summer’s day and you feel like going to the beach to relax or swim, but finding a beach with good access can be difficult, especially for people who use wheelchairs or mobility aids. Now Frankston Beach, with its new Accessible Beach Pilot Program, is the place to go. At our recent recreation…
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DBV Cafe Mental Health discussion
October is Mental Health Month, a perfect time to think about ways to care for our minds and bodies. At Deafblind Café on 22 Oct 2025, we explored how movement and activity support mental health, while celebrating the strength and connection of the Deafblind community. Participants shared how different kinds of movement help them feel…
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Getting around Melbourne: the new Metro Tunnel
The Deafblind community has been anxious to know: what will the new Metro Tunnel mean for us when it opens? We want Melbourne to be safe and accessible. At DBV Café on 24 September, we talked with Em Coy from EnAccess Maps and Alan Nargessi and Tim Fullerton from Metro Tunnel to find out more…
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Victoria’s first raising of the Disability Pride Flag
Hello! This is Jasper Cleland. We are at the end of July, which was Disability Pride Month. On Tuesday July 8th, I went to St Albans Community Centre for the first raising of a disability pride flag to ever happen in Victoria! The event was organised by our neighbours here in Ross House, DRC (Disability…
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First aid
Recently, a group of Deafblind Victoria members and staff took part in Basic Life Support training and received a nationally-recognised certificate in first aid. The trainer, Nick Holden from Livcor, was exceptional. Nick has a deaf family member and understands the frustration of being excluded. He was determined to make every part of the training…
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Tree of Kindness
In support of mental health month, DBV members gathered together on the 9th of October to create leaves for the Schizy Inc ‘Tree of Kindness’ at Ross House. Each person brought their unique perspective to their paper cut-out leaves with art and messages about things for good mental health that are important to them. The…
