LIV

Our goal was to prevent domestic violence in the community of hearing-impaired adolescents using innovative methods and educational materials that respect the specific communication needs of these young people. The project’s content focused on extracurricular work with a group of hearing-impaired teenagers at two secondary schools for the deaf in the Czech Republic (in Brno and Valašské Meziříčí) and the subsequent creation of educational products – a handbook for the prevention of domestic violence and a film that the hearing-impaired youths themselves participated in making. The target group was involved in an after-school club; selected participants became protagonists of the documentary film. The project outcome is 31-page handbook and a 52-minute documentary. The guide contains a simple and understandable explanation of domestic violence, including various exercises and a final test. It is suitable for reading or retelling in Czech sign language. The film portrays the lives of three hearing impaired young people who have experienced domestic violence in their families and still face life’s challenges with courage and humour. Both the guide and the film can serve as a basis for discussion and educational work in schools and in families. The main benefit of the project was the individual work with young people. The activities at the club, preparing for filming, and the filming itself served as both a positive experience and therapy for the participants.