For over 30 years, the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre (IDHHC) has been a pillar of support for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals across Vancouver Island. Through education, advocacy, and a range of support services, IDHHC strives to promote inclusivity and accessibility for all. As a preferred vendor for Small Business BC events, we know firsthand how much of a difference they make for everyone involved.

SBBC sat down with Kristi Falconer, Communication Services Manager, and Kim Dillon, Employment Case Manager, to chat about the impacts of living with hearing loss, the value of an inclusive workforce, and how they support entrepreneurs in the community.

Living with Hearing Loss

You might think hearing loss and other hearing differences are rare, but they’re actually far more common than most people realize. “If you’re between 20 and 79 years old, you have a 60 percent chance of having a hearing issue, which means that most of us who are working age have some challenge with hearing whether we know it or not,” Kim said. 

Kim explained how living with hearing loss can be incredibly isolating. Communication barriers significantly impact people’s quality of life, often posing hurdles to education, careers, relationships, and more.

But, as Kristi said, “That’s what we’re all about: breaking down these barriers.” A great result of this is the further development of workplace collaboration.

Cultivating an Inclusive Workforce

Kristi emphasized the importance of opening up to a more diverse workplace, “People need to see themselves reflected in the places they’re doing business because that is good business.”

“It only ever benefits the rest of the workforce,” Kim said. Whether it be learning leadership skills, some American Sign Language (ASL), or how to train somebody new, hiring Deaf or hard of hearing employees gives companies an opportunity to learn new things. Plus, as Kim mentioned, “Typically, a person with a disability is four to five times more likely to stay at a job than someone who doesn’t identify as having a disability.”

“Deaf people, and people with disabilities in general, have lots of different experiences that have made them tenacious individuals as well as creative problem-solvers,” Kim explained. “Having these perspectives on staff is profitable.”

Tapping into a Broader Market

“Both customers and young workers from Gen X to Gen Z are more likely to associate with businesses who are inclusive and accessible,” Kim said. 

IDHHC’s services are valuable resources for businesses looking to retain employees, create a diverse workforce, and expand their customer pool. “It has been shown that diverse and inclusive workplaces are two times more likely to meet or exceed financial targets,” Kim explained.

How IDHHC Supports Small Businesses

If you’re an entrepreneur wondering how to make your business more inclusive or looking for resources for yourself, there are many ways IDHHC can support you.

• Awareness Training – Employers unsure how to hire or train Deaf or hard of hearing employees can access awareness training from IDHHC. Their sessions touch on Deaf culture and communication strategies, helping reduce barriers for new hires and foster inclusivity in the workplace.
• WorkBC Wage Subsidy – In collaboration with IDHHC, WorkBC provides a wage subsidy reimbursing about half of new hires’ wages for six months, offering incentives and support for employers during training and communication adjustments.
• WorkBC Assistive Technology Services Funding – Supports entrepreneurs, business owners, and employees applying for new hearing aids and assistive devices through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services.  
• Sound of Change Program – This program provides vulnerable, low-income, or at-risk populations access to free hearing assessments, free refurbished hearing aids, and ongoing communication support.

For more information on all of Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre services, visit their website.

Importance of Having Inclusive Events

Just as striving for inclusivity is vital for employees, extending these efforts to customers is equally important.

“The difference between being an inclusive or an accessible event happens during the planning stages,” Kristi explained. An inclusive event is when the employer makes a point to ensure that everyone in the community can feel included. “What those employers are showing is that they have thought of everyone,” Kristi said. “Having these services at events means that all individuals feel welcomed.”

Captioning, in particular, can benefit more than just individuals who are hard of hearing. It can help those who struggle with hearing loss but haven’t realized it yet, those with ADHD, English language learners, folks with auditory processing disorders, people who process information better visually, and so on. 

“We’re more than happy to help in any capacity we can,” they emphasized, “We want to make sure that everybody, including all those hardworking business owners, are included in this.”

Small Business BC is Here to Help

SBBC is a non-profit resource centre for BC-based small businesses. Whatever your idea of success is, we’re here to provide holistic support and resources at every step of the journey. Check out our range of business webinars, on-demand E-Learning Education, our Talk to an Expert Advisories, or browse our selection of business articles.