Devanshi

I am learning BSL because I want to feel more connected to the Deaf community. Even though I am deaf and use a cochlear implant, I grew up using spoken language, so I never fully learned sign language. Over time, I started to feel left out in Deaf spaces where people communicate through BSL. Learning BSL feels important to me not just for communication, but for belonging. I want to be able to express myself freely, understand others and be part of conversations without barriers. It is also important for my work, as I support people with different needs, and I want to provide more inclusive and accessible support in the future.

Hi everyone, My name is Devanshi and I’m currently living in Nottingham. I work as a support worker and I’m really passionate about inclusion and supporting people with different needs. I am deaf and use a cochlear implant. I was not born deaf, my speech developed as I was growing up, so I have mainly communicated using spoken language. However, over time I started to feel a bit excluded in Deaf spaces, as many people communicate through BSL and I wasn’t confident in it. That’s one of the main reasons I decided to start learning British Sign Language. I want to feel more connected to the Deaf community, communicate better and be part of conversations without feeling left out. I also hope it will help me support others better in my work and future career. I’m currently learning at a basic level, so I’m still very new — but I’m excited to learn and improve 😊 Looking forward to connecting with you all!