CODA Festival Conference

Research shows that 90% of children born to deaf parents can hear. They are often identified by the abbreviated term “CODA” or Children of Deaf Adults. Hearing CODAs grow up in deaf culture from which they learn sign language from their parents. They are sometimes perceived as a “hidden minority” amongst the majority population because they remain invisible to the professionals in the fields of social work, family welfare, schooling, employment education, psychology, counselling and psychotherapy. This lack of attention to CODAs occurs because of attention is often fixated on the needs of deaf parents and siblings. Furthermore, CODAs are seen to belong to the “normal” social identity group despite the fact that they experience a range of negative social attitudes and stigmatization. The international CODA literature – articles, books, and autobiographies – has well-documented CODA’s roles as “cultural brokers” by which they mediate relationships and information between their deaf parents and hearing people who do not have sign language skills. The question is: what would the CODA life experiences of culture, identity and language look like when presented on a public stage through performance and narrative storytelling?

The CODA Festival conference aims to answer this question by providing a platform for showcasing CODA’s lived experience of culture, identity and sign language through a series of artwork exhibitions, workshops, presentations and discussions.

The theme for the conference is: CODA culture, language and identity

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Conference Organisers: Dr Noel O’Connell (Postdoctoral Researcher ), Catherine White, Hannah O'Connor & Matthew Shrine (CODA UK & Ireland).

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REGISTRATION

Presenter/Panel Member ------------------------------------------ Free

Professional (Includes CPD certificate) ---------------------------- €40

General Participaint ------------------------------------------------ €30

Student and/or unemployed --------------------------------------- €20

Financial assistance

We want to enable participation in the conference workshops for those participants who do not have the financial means to pay the conference participation fee. If you are currently unable to afford a space but are still interested in participating in the conference, there will be a possibility to apply for financial assistance or sponsorship from CODA UK and Ireland. For more information please contact Info@codaukireland.co.uk