The British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 promotes the use of BSL in Scotland, primarily by requiring certain authorities, such as the University of Aberdeen, to develop BSL plans that outline how they will promote and raise awareness of the language. The University’s British Sign Language Plan Working Group was established in 2017 and developed the 2018-2024 BSL action plan. The Scottish Government has recently published the British Sign Language (BSL): national plan 2023-2029.
The University’s British Sign Language Plan Working Group has responsibility for:
- driving forward the commitments made in the BSL 2018-2024 Action Plan,
- developing, in consultation with staff and students, the BSL Action Plan 2024-2030, and
- supporting the implementation of the BSL Action Plan 2024-2030
Terms of Reference
BSL Plan Working Group Terms of Reference
Expectations of BSL Plan Working Group members
Participation in the BSL Plan Working Group provides the opportunity to:
- Reflect on the progress made towards the University’s BSL Plan 2018 – 2024
- Consider the recommendations of the Scottish Government in the British Sign Language (BSL): national plan 2023-2029
- Contribute to the consultation process for the development of the University’s BSL Action Plan 2024-2030
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the BSL Action Plan 2024-2030
The BSL Plan Working Group will meet on a quarterly basis and the anticipated hours of involvement would be 2 hours per quarter for meeting attendance and preparation such as reading the meeting papers.
Whilst being a BSL user is not an essential criterion for joining the Group, the valuable perspective gained from lived experiences with BSL is both beneficial and warmly welcomed.
Recognition
The work of the BSL Plan Working Group members will be appropriately recognised.
Contribution of academic staff is recognised through their Annual Review and as citizenship contribution in the proposed Workload Model. Citizenship is recognised within the academic promotion process.
Contribution of professional services staff is recognised through their Annual Review.
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students who actively contribute to the BSL Plan Working Group can record their participation via MySkills.
Find out more
If you would like to find out more about the BSL Plan Working Group, please contact the EDI Team via edi@abdn.ac.uk