Deaf Awareness · BSL Training · Deaf Access Mystery Shopping
Deaf awareness and BSL training for confident, inclusive teams.
Help your team communicate more confidently with Deaf and hard of hearing customers, patients, residents and colleagues. Our practical training is tailored to your workplace, with useful communication strategies your staff can put into practice.
Participant feedback
Participant feedback from a three-hour Deaf Awareness Training session at Harlequin Watford, September 2026.
“Learning the best ways to communicate and approach Deaf people.”
“Every Deaf person is an individual.”
What we deliver
Practical training and Deaf access services.
Deaf Awareness Training
Choose 60-minute Essentials or 3-hour Comprehensive Deaf Awareness. Build practical confidence in communicating with Deaf and hard of hearing people.
Explore Deaf Awareness →Business BSL Training
Start with a 2-hour Business BSL Taster, or build skills over the Workplace BSL Programme (6 × 2 hours). Practise greetings and communication for your workplace.
Explore Business BSL →Deaf Access Mystery Shopping
One agreed customer journey or service interaction tested by an appropriate Deaf mystery shopper, with factual findings and practical recommendations.
Explore Mystery Shopping →Bespoke Training
Need a combination of courses or substantial bespoke development? Tell us about your team and we will agree the scope and provide a clear quotation before work begins.
Discuss your training →Led by practical experience
Built around real access barriers
Craig Bartlett
BSL Interpreter · NRCPD Registered (Reg. No. 1023330) · Founder, ConverseBSL Ltd
ConverseBSL is led by Craig Bartlett, a BSL interpreter and founder of ConverseBSL. The training is shaped by real workplace situations, Deaf awareness practice, and the communication barriers Deaf and hard of hearing people still face when accessing everyday services.
Sessions may be delivered by Craig or a Deaf trainer, depending on the session requirements and availability. We’ll confirm delivery arrangements with you before booking.
Public Liability & Professional Indemnity Insurance held · details available on request · Company No. 15798160
Clear pricing
One price for every organisation.
Pricing is based on the service and number of participants. Reasonable sector tailoring is included.
| Training | Duration | Price per group |
|---|---|---|
| Deaf Awareness Essentials — online | 60 minutes | £395 |
| Deaf Awareness Essentials — on-site | 60 minutes | £495 |
| Comprehensive Deaf Awareness | 3 hours | £750 |
| Business BSL Taster | 2 hours | £495 |
| Workplace BSL Programme | 6 × 2 hours | £1,800 |
Prices include up to 15 participants. Participants 16–20 are £25 each. For more than 20 participants, contact us to arrange additional sessions and a quotation.
Deaf Access Mystery Shopping — from £495 for a Single Journey Review. Multiple locations, contact channels, repeat visits and complex scenarios are quoted separately.
Standard preparation and administration, digital participant resources and reasonable sector tailoring are included. On-site travel within Greater London is included; travel outside Greater London and any necessary accommodation are agreed in advance. Purchase orders are accepted. Standard payment terms are 30 days. Prices are exclusive of VAT where applicable.
For combined programmes or substantial bespoke training development, we provide a clear quotation before work begins.
What changes
What your team can do after training
Deaf Awareness Training
After Deaf Awareness Training, staff will be able to:
- Recognise different communication needs
- Understand Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing and deafened experiences
- Know when and how to book a BSL interpreter
- Reduce common communication barriers
- Respond more confidently at reception, front-desk and support points
- Understand why access is not just a compliance issue
Business BSL Training
After Business BSL Training, staff will be able to:
- Use greetings and everyday courtesy
- Use fingerspelling and introductions
- Use basic workplace signs where relevant
- Use strategies for when you do not understand
This is introductory workplace BSL, not a formal BSL qualification. It does not replace a qualified interpreter for complex, confidential or important conversations.
Under the Equality Act 2010, organisations have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for Deaf and disabled people. Good Deaf awareness training helps your team meet that responsibility with confidence — and deliver a better experience for every customer, patient, resident or member of the public who relies on it. For public bodies, this also sits within your Public Sector Equality Duty — not just a legal backstop, but a day-to-day service standard.
Practical examples by sector
Scenarios and vocabulary are adapted to where your team works, for example:
NHS & Healthcare
Reception and ward-based scenarios, including patient communication and appointment booking.
Local Authorities
Front-desk enquiries, home visits and benefits appointments.
Police & Emergency Services
Contact points, front counters and public-facing enquiry desks.
Housing Associations
Housing officer visits, repairs reporting and tenancy support conversations.
Retail & Shopping Centres
Till points, customer service desks and centre management interactions.
Education & Support Workers
Classroom support, pastoral care, parents' evenings and safeguarding conversations where a Deaf pupil, parent or colleague is involved.
How it works
Three steps, no surprises.
01
Tell us what you need
Email us or send an enquiry. We then talk through who you serve, where communication breaks down, and what "done well" looks like for your teams.
02
Tailored proposal
A written proposal covering a training outline, delivery plan and clear quotation — built around your sites and sector.
03
Delivery & follow-up
On-site or online delivery, followed by refresher recommendations and a direct line for anything that comes up afterwards.
Frequently asked
Common questions
Do you deliver training online or in person?
Both. Most organisations choose on-site delivery for reception, ward or front-desk teams, with online sessions used for wider or multi-site teams.
How long does a typical session run?
Deaf Awareness Essentials lasts 60 minutes; Comprehensive Deaf Awareness lasts 3 hours. The Business BSL Taster is 2 hours, and the Workplace BSL Programme comprises six 2-hour sessions. See prices and group sizes.
Can you invoice via a purchase order?
Yes — we regularly invoice via PO for NHS, local authority and BID-arranged bookings, with standard 30-day payment terms.
Can individual learners book a place?
We focus on organisational training rather than individual public courses. If you're an individual learner, get in touch and we'll happily point you towards other options.
Ready to bring confident communication to your team?
Tell us about your team and what you need. Email us directly or use the enquiry form below.
Prefer a written proposal instead? Email us directly: craig@conversebsl.co.uk
Or use the enquiry form