Deaf Facilitator Development Course: Empowering Deaf Leaders for Community Growth

The Deaf Facilitator Development Course, initiated by MyBIM, represented a landmark effort to strengthen the understanding and visibility of the Deaf community and BIM across Malaysia. This course equipped Deaf facilitators with skills in communication, teaching, and presentation, empowering them to serve as cultural and linguistic ambassadors. The course addressed a pressing need for trained Deaf facilitators to spread awareness about Deaf culture, improve public perception, and foster inclusivity for the Deaf community as a linguistic minority with its own identity.

Supported by funding under the 2022 MyICE (Malaysian Incentive Community Empowerment) budget, the three-month course consisted of three stages: skills development, discussions, and hands-on practical training, delivered via Zoom. The program was coordinated by Mr. Marzuki Ong and overseen by Dr. Anthony Chong, with training led by Ms. Jessica Mak, Ms. Sariah Ibrahim, Ms. Koon Wei, and Mr. Amir Hamidi. A total of 24 participants, both MyBIM members and non-members, were recruited through Facebook and other social media platforms.

As part of their practicum and exposure experience, all participants conducted a public workshop with a Deaf audience via Zoom. This practicum session allowed participants to apply their learning in real-time, gaining valuable experience in facilitating and engaging with the Deaf community.

The program was expected to make a significant impact by increasing the number of trained Deaf facilitators, enabling more public awareness programs in governmental, educational, and corporate spaces. Beyond addressing immediate needs, the course aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by promoting quality, inclusive education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. It also reinforced Malaysia’s OKU Act of 2008, which upholds the right to cultural and linguistic identity for persons with disabilities, including the right to learn BIM and embrace Deaf culture. By cultivating a team of skilled Deaf facilitators, MyBIM aimed to ensure that both Deaf and hearing communities would benefit from greater knowledge, acceptance, and support for the Deaf community in Malaysia.