| Belgium-FFSB The Federation of Frenchspeaking Deaf Established: 1977 Address: Rue Van Eyck 11A/4 - 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium Email: infos@ffsb.be Fax: (+32) 2 644 68 44 Phone: (+32) 2 644 69 01 Website link: http://www.ffsb.be
Mission statement of the organisation Mission statement: Valorisation and better representation of the deaf.
Details of the Board President: Martine Fraiture (D) Board Members: Christelle Balard (D), Bernard Fleurus (D), Serge Van Brandt (HoH), Jean Grofils (H)
Details of the Staff Executive Director: Mr Thomas BRUNEAU, coordinator (HoH) Other staff: Mr Thierry ADNET (D), Mrs Agnès DEJARDIN (H), Mr Jérôme DUQUESNE (D), Mrs Nathalie HABSCH (H), Mrs Corinne JACQUET (H), Mrs Lydia LALLEMAND (HoH), Mrs Nadine SZAJNER (H), Mrs Gurbet TOGMAT (H).
Statistics General Population (Including hearing people) 10,584,534 Official or approximate figures of the number of Deaf people living in your country? approx. 500,000 Official or approximate numbers of Deaf people who use sign language as their primary language? 50,000 How many people are members of the NAD? 25 associations and centres affiliated Does your National Association of the Deaf publish any magazine or newsletters for your members? Yes Does your National Association of the Deaf have Youth section? Yes
Status of Sign Language Is Sign Language legally recognised as part of your Government's constitution? Not in the constitution, only at the Frenspoken Community Government (since 21 October 2003). But it is not recognised at the Federal Government. Is there any campaign to get the sign language legally recognised? Only political lobbying.
Status of Sign Language Interpreters Approximate number of qualified sign language interpreters: 28 in the Frenchspoken Community of Belgium Details of training centre/courses: Schools of social promotion
Technology Does your country provide Video Interpreting Service? No. If not, when will it be implemented? The video interpreting service is in its trial phase.
Deaf centre/clubs How many deaf centres/clubs? 25 associations (7) and centres (18) affiliated. For others, see http://www.ffsb.be Details of the deaf centre/clubs: Entertainment, Permanent Education, Cultural visits, Individual service, Sign language studies.
Universities/Sign Language Units Are there any universities that deal with Sign Language? (Deaf Studies, Linguistics, Interpreting) No
Deaf Schools Number of Deaf Schools: 7 Education method (Sign Language, Oral or other methods): Exclusively Sign Langage for a school at Namur (Institut Sainte-Marie, bilingual education). For the other schools : Sign Language and LPC (Langue Parlé Complété)
History of the NAD Founded in 1977, FFSB has the mission to represent the Deaf Community and promote the Sign Language as a natural means of communication. For the autonomy of the deaf, FFSB has set up many services: Interpreting service, job assistance and social services. These services are actually regrouped in an association named "Info-Sourds de Bruxelles", a NAD. But for the Wallonie, FFSB also has the same services. Additionally, FFSB created Surdimobil, a course to discover the deafness, also actually a NAD.
FFSB have published a manifest for the previous European Elections. It is available for download.
Last updated: 29 April 2010 |
