Tia’s quest to give deafblind women their independence

She said, “I didn’t have any friends to start with, just my partner. It’s also very difficult for people like me to find employment.”

Like many deafblind women Tia felt isolated because it was difficult for her to leave the house on her own. She explained, “Most people can travel independently on trains and buses. That’s hard for me because I can’t read anything and I can’t hear any announcements. I’m not able to travel independently – I must have someone with me.”

In 2023, Tia visited an event in Derby organised by Deaf-initely Women, a National Lottery-funded project supporting deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deafblind women in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and beyond. The project’s chief executive officer, Teresa Waldron, is a deafblind woman and fully understands the discrimination and isolation experienced by many women with hearing loss.

Tia became a volunteer at Deaf-initely Women in 2023 and says her confidence has soared as a result. More recently, she’s taken up a paid position as the Volunteers and Training Officer for a new National Lottery-funded scheme called Usherettes. The title refers to Usher Syndrome, a genetic condition that’s the most common cause of combined deafness and blindness.

Teresa said, “Usherettes is a project that’s for deafblind women and led by deafblind women. Over a three-year period, we’re looking to recruit 70-80 deaf and hard of hearing women as volunteers who will support 30-50 deafblind women.”

Helping deafblind women gain independence is a big part of the Usherettes project. A group of hard of hearing and deaf women who sign and speak are being trained as volunteer drivers. They’ll collect deafblind women from their homes, take them where they need to go, and provide one-to-one support.

Teresa said, “The crux of the matter with deafblind women is that they don’t have enough support to do the things they are desperate to do. That’s things many of us take for granted like walking in the countryside. They need one-to-one support, but many can’t access it or afford to pay for it.

“The majority of deafblind women have experience of depression because of the restricted lives they lead. Many live on their own and those that do live with a partner sometimes find their partner doesn’t understand their needs.”

Tia was born deaf but does not have Usher Syndrome. She has some sense of sound when she is in a quiet environment due to a cochlear implant she received at the age of two. She added, “I’m partially sighted. I’ve always had eye problems, but I wasn’t officially diagnosed until ten years ago.”

Since becoming part of Deaf-initely Women, Tia has learned a great deal about the services and support she’s entitled to as a deafblind woman. She said, “Before I came here, I didn’t know what was available to me and there were barriers everywhere. They told me what support I was entitled to and I’ve learned a lot. It’s hard to find a place that meets my needs and this place has. I’m very grateful to them.”

12th September 2025