Deaf Action has a rich history. We were founded in Edinburgh in 1835, as the first formally constituted deaf charity in the world. We have been at the forefront of progress and positive change within the deaf community for over 185 years, and we are very proud to be a deaf-led organisation. We truly understand the challenges deaf people face.

Celebrating and supporting deaf people  

Deaf Action exists to celebrate and support deaf people. We deliver vital and effective services for the 1 million+ people in Scotland who are deaf or affected by hearing loss. Our mission is to empower deaf people to achieve their potential and participate in society with equality of rights, access and opportunity. We support deaf people at every stage of their lives, and in a way that recognises that they are a hugely diverse group with varying needs, including deaf users of British Sign Language (BSL), and those who are deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing. 

Our social aims

We have 5 social aims:

• ACCESS: we strive for equality of access to information, advice and services.
• INCLUSION: we improve social inclusion, supporting people to become active citizens.
• WELLBEING: we promote good health, empowering people to live independently, and caring for them when they no longer can.
• ACHIEVEMENT: we empower people to achieve through meaningful learning and the development of essential skills.
• IDENTITY: we celebrate deaf culture, language and heritage, offering nurturing community spaces.

These objectives have been set in response to the needs we have identified. With your support, we can achieve those aims and contribute to a more inclusive future for deaf and hard of hearing people.