Nominations open for Sign Language Board

Minister for Disability Issues Nicky Wagner today encouraged nominations to the New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Board to help NZSL users reach their potential.

“New Zealand Sign Language is one of our three official languages and is used by over 20,000 people throughout the country. The establishment of the Board is an opportunity to promote and maintain the use of NZSL,” Ms Wagner says.

“NZSL users include deaf and non-verbal people, interpreters, as well as friends and family of deaf and non-verbal people who use NZSL to communicate with their loved ones.

“The NZSL Board has up to 10 members in total, all of whom will be fluent NZSL users, and a majority of members will be deaf NZSL users.

“The Board will represent the perspectives of all NZSL users including youth, families, older people, Māori, Pacific peoples, other ethnic groups and people who use NZSL as their primary language but do not identify as deaf.

“The NZSL Board is an opportunity to promote and maintain one of our official languages and I encourage all New Zealanders with an interest in New Zealand Sign Language to put themselves forward to make a difference,” Ms Wagner says.

More information, including how to make a nomination can be found here: www.odi.govt.nz/nzsl-board