James Blyth, who grew up in regional NSW before he moved to Melbourne, is the founder and managing director of Auslan Consultancy.
Mr Blyth has visited regional Victoria during last month to make a documentary focusing on resources and support available to the deaf community in regional areas - or lack thereof.
He said access to sign language teaching for both deaf and hearing people, access to interpreters and access to services which would let deaf people navigate the hearing world were well below what was needed in regional areas.
The documentary interviewed people involved in the deaf community in Shepparton, Echuca and Mildura - both people who are deaf or hard of hearing themselves; their parents, siblings, partners, interpreters, teachers and more.
He said the further away from Melbourne they travelled to film and interview people, the further and further people fell behind.
“The difference between the city and country is huge,” Mr Blyth said.
“There's a big gap in service providers. Most people told me they go to Melbourne for services, why can't they come to us?"
He said it was frustrating the support wasn't given.
“With most disabilities there's a once-off support, like building a ramp. With deafness it's ongoing support through interpreters and language,” Mr Blyth said.
He partnered with the Bendigo Deaf Hub and its founder Elise Stewart to tap into deaf communities across the state.
Mrs Stewart, who grew up in regional Victoria, said no progress had been made in two decades.
“Filming this showed nothing has changed from when I was young,” she said.
“People are being left behind and children aren't getting the information they need.
“Kids are going to school without interpreters and have no access to Auslan. They're using broken signs and made-up signs, it really impacts their development."
She said the challenge was ensuring politicians and people in power listened.
“We've put so many recommendations in the past and they just get ignored,” Mrs Stewart said.
“They've got ‘experts’ with no real-world experience giving advice, but (out here) we're 100,000 years behind.
“Seeing people telling their own story will hopefully make more of an impact."
She encouraged those who'd missed out or who had been unable to attend to send in videos of themselves talking or signing and telling their story.
Contact Auslan Consultancy or Bendigo Deaf Hub for more information.
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