Beenleigh residents now have a new place to practice their Auslan skills, with a free weekly group bringing people together to build confidence and connect through communication.
Meeting at Beenleigh RSL every Tuesday evening, the Auslan Practice Group welcomes everyone from beginners to people looking to build on what they have learnt through formal courses.
Founder of Signbridge Inc, Les Hoppe, said the idea for the group came after he, his wife and a friend started taking beginners Auslan classes and wanted to practice the new language.
“One of the first things we found out was that you need about 2000 hours of practice to be able to sign reasonably.”
“I didn’t have a big deaf community that I knew, I knew a couple, but not a lot. So, we didn’t get the opportunity to practice very often,” Mr Hoppe said.
“We set up a group called Signbridge Inc as a nonprofit organisation.”
Unlike a formal course, the practice group offers a relaxed environment where participants can practice signing with others and become more comfortable communicating in Auslan.
Mr Hoppe said community groups played an important role in helping people connect and create a more inclusive community.
“One of the biggest problems, I feel, in society is isolation. Especially for the hard-of-hearing population.”
“Anything that helps people become more inclusive to and be part of social interaction with other people is a good health thing for everyone,” Mr Hoppe said.
The group is free to attend and open to all skill levels, including people who are just beginning to learn Auslan.
Sessions run every Tuesday from 6.30pm-8pm at Beenleigh RSL, with no bookings required.
Mr Hoppe said the group also meets for an early dinner at 5.30pm before the session starts.
Anyone interested in practicing their signing skills or meeting others learning Auslan is welcome to attend.
For more information, visit Signbridge on Facebook or email at signbridgeinc@gmail.com.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date with news from across Logan. You’ll receive a link to our digital newspaper direct to your inbox each week. It’s free.
