RNID Typetalk lessons at Holyrood

113/2005 | 24 November 2005

Deputy Presiding Officer Trish Godman has training on the system

Training in how to use RNID Typetalk – a telephone service which enables deaf and speech-impaired people to communicate with hearing people anywhere in the world – is being offered to staff at the Scottish Parliament.

Run by RNID, the largest charity representing the 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK, RNID Typetalk is the only national telephone relay service of its kind.

As part of the Parliament’s ongoing commitment to facilitating access for all, a series of two hour workshops has been designed to raise awareness and provide practical information.

This follows on from similar sessions offered three years ago and offers new staff, or those who want a refresher course, the chance to experience a Typetalk call.

Around 60 people from MSP staff and SPCB staff will take part in six workshops, being held from November 23-25, with the opportunity to practice receiving and making a Typetalk call as well as learning how to use a textphone.

Today, Deputy Presiding Officer Trish Godman MSP will attend one of the training sessions.

She said: "Anyone in the Scottish Parliament could receive a Typetalk call at any time, so these workshops are vital for raising awareness.

"As a Parliament founded on accessibility, it is important we give our staff the opportunity to learn about this invaluable service, which helps bring independence to those who use it."

Photographs of Deputy Presiding Officer Trish Godman MSP will be available at 2.30pm from the Parliament’s Media Relations Office. Contact Andrew Cowan on 0131 348 6269.

The Parliament's media contact is:

Sally Coyne Tel: 0131 348 6269
RNID TypeTalk calls welcome
email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk

For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 348 5000 or 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
Text phone: 0131 348 3415 RNID Typetalk calls welcome
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk

Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk