Hear Here Hearing Loss Awareness Training for Local Government

One in six Queenslanders lives with hearing loss.

What are your customers missing?

How does hearing loss affect your business?

Imagine feeling anxious anytime you wanted to interact with your local council.

With 1 in 6 Queenslanders experiencing hearing loss, many of your customers face this scenario daily.

If they want to call you, attend a performance or event, or interact with staff at the library, their hearing loss is a barrier to a great customer experience.

Hearing loss awareness training is vital for your staff as the population ages and hearing loss becomes more prevalent even in younger generations.

That’s why BHA Brisbane, Queensland’s peak representative body for the Hard of Hearing — with support and insight from Redland City Council — developed the Hear Here Online Learning Module specifically for local council staff.

The learning module was a finalist in the LGMA Queensland Awards for Excellence 2021.

The Learning Module

The Hear Here Learning Module is a four-part, 20-30 minute learning module covering:

• Hearing loss – the invisible disability: highlighting the impact and prevalence of hearing loss in society and how likely it is that local council customers will have issues with their hearing.
• The sound of hearing loss: putting learners in the shoes of someone with hearing impairment so they can empathise and understand the challenges some people face.
• Making a difference: tips and tricks staff can use immediately to help improve the customer experience of your service users.
• Technical solutions: a brief overview of some of the technical solutions available to Councils to help improve the hearing experience for everyone.

Redland City Council was happy to partner with Better Hearing Australia (Brisbane) to develop and pilot the ‘Hear Here’ Council training to help local government communicate more effectively with people with hearing loss.
The training gives officers an understanding of some of the challenges faced by people with hearing loss and provides practical strategies and tools to overcome those challenges.
We encourage other government authorities to consider the ‘Hear Here training’ as well.
~ Redland City Council

Samples used throughout the module are highly relevant to the local council experience, with examples and scenarios provided by local council staff.

The module helps staff understand how hearing loss can impact the customers they interact with using real samples and experiences from people with lived experience.

Industry Relevance

This learning module has been designed in partnership with, and specifically for, local governments.

Training content reflects typical day-to-day scenarios where council staff may experience challenges communicating with customers who have hearing loss.

Clinical Accuracy

Hearing loss related technical and medical inputs were provided or reviewed by a consulting audiologist from the University of Queensland.

Who should undertake this training?

With hearing loss the most prevalent disability in Australia, everyone in your organisation would benefit from this training. Specifically:

• Customer service centre staff – team members who deal direct with customer enquiries, comments and complaints daily – whether face-to-face or via the phone.
• Front-of-house staff – team members who deal face-to-face with visitors to libraries, theatres, museums and other public spaces.
• Management and senior executive – people who help plan and deliver new services and improvements to existing offerings.

We are very happy with the training product provided and have received positive feedback from officers who have completed the training. One team, who have a team member with hearing loss, found it particularly useful, and had their entire branch complete it as they were so impressed. We will continue to roll it out across the organisation for existing and new employees.
~ City of Gold Coast

Learning module package options

SELF-HOSTED

• The Hear Here learning module is provided as a downloadable SCORM-compliant file for immediate inclusion in your organisation’s learning management system.
• A one-off fee covers setup, complementary module resource kit, and use for the life of the product.
• Licensed for unlimited users.

ONLINE ACCESS

• BHA can facilitate access to the module on a per-user basis if your organisation does not have its own learning management system.
• A one-off fee covers the learning module and LMS participant population. A per annum user fee includes a resource kit for each user.

BHA will review and update the learning module in line with best practice in hearing loss management and inform users when a new module is available.

Technical compliance

The Hear Here Learning Module is a mobile optimised stand-alone SCORM 1.2 compliant learning module built on the Adapt Framework software.

Staff and customer recognition

Help customers recognise a hearing-friendly environment by providing “Hear Here” lanyards to your trained team members.

By proactively identifying your facility staff as ‘hearing friendly trained’, you encourage your customers to self-identify and gain access to a much better experience.

Already in use by

Register your organisation’s interest

Register your interest and we will get in touch to discuss your requirements.

The Hear Here learning module was developed with funding from the Queensland Government under the Age-Friendly Community Grants Program.