The O.U.R. Project

Last Month I did…This Month I Will…

By Janet DesGeorges, H&V Headquarters

Hands & Voices has a long history of leading the way in ensuring the integrity of our children’s safety through the Hands & Voices Observing, Understanding and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect Project (O.U.R.).  Over the years we have presented all over the world on this topic, utilized a Safety Checklist for IEP meetings, created beautiful ‘safety’ quilts, and created a community of learners through our monthly O.U.R. Project meetings.  One of the ways we have sustained our efforts collectively and individually is through a process at the end of every meeting entitled “Last month I did… this month I will…” Each of us on the call commits to doing at least one thing in the ensuing month towards sustaining our efforts for the safety of our children who are deaf or hard of hearing.   Just this last month, some of the commitments have included the following:

This month I will…

• I am going to contact a colleague to reconnect and explore how we can collaborate on this topic.
• I will share this meeting update with my H&V Chapter.
• I will at least once make sure the HV HQ Facebook feeds gives some information on children’s safety.
• Include the O.U.R. Project resources on the list of strategies associated with effective practices to protect children.
• I sent this meeting announcement to our state teams. This month I will send out a copy of the work the O.U.R. Children Project has done
• I commit to re-review the resources and info. around this project and find creative ways to share info with all of the Chapter Leaders across the organization.
• Add the Toolkit to the Parent Event Guide. 
• Add a paragraph about issues specific to d/hh kids to the digital safety section of the toolkit based on all this great discussion and finalize the Toolkit!
• I will find a new way to hold the VOOK Club that allows for greater reach and participation.
• I will begin give updated information about O.U.R. to our H&V GBYS Parent Guides in the state…. Long term I’d love to incorporate this into my IDEA/Advocacy trainings.
• I will ask for 15 minutes at our state’s educational advisory board to discuss this topic.
• I serve on an American Academy of Pediatrics committee and I will introduce the idea of the AAP disseminating information about the Safety ToolKit to pediatricians to share with families.
• This month I will get out a publication for review about working with kids who are deaf/hh.
• Share O.U.R. with our EHDI team.
• I will share with one more family…

I want to personally invite each reader to be a part of the movement of child abuse and neglect prevention by participating on the monthly O.U.R, calls, held the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 am MT. for more information and to get on our email list, contact janet@handsandvoices.org  We often have guest speakers and it’s a great team of individuals from all over the world who have dedicated themselves to the cause.   Won’t you join us?    ~

H&V Communicator – Winter 2020