Social Impact

Sound Advice began as IDK (Irish Deaf Kids), a tiny social venture with a big impact. From 2007 to 2014, IDK was self-financed with no state funding. The new entity, Sound Advice, is financed by earned income and the online shop.

 

This infographic explains our social impact (click to read).

 

Here is what IDK-Sound Advice achieved, on a shoestring.

 

 

2017

• Contributing author to “#10KBoss: The Power of Everyday Entrepreneurialism“
• Certification as a NHS-uk Change Agent
• Second ’95 Decibels’ screening, Irish Film Institute, Dublin

2016

• Mentor, #HackAccessDublin (Google HQ)
• Patient Panelist, EH2030.com, Science Gallery, Trinity College Dublin
• Web Summit 2016 attendee, via the global Women in Technology initiative
• Speaker and Presenter, United Nations, Vienna (Zero Project Conference 2016)
• Panelist, Open Health Data Night, Science Gallery – Trinity College Dublin

2015

• Regular Twitter #AVTchat sessions begin with parents teaching their children to talk
• Advisor, 2015 RTE TV documentary “The Sound Barrier” (Loosehorse TV)
• Back-story interview with Theresa Grotendorst, We Share A Dream (Germany)
• Keynote Panelist at Family Medicine 2.0 conference (Dublin)

2014

• Early-Years Seminar, The Link Between Hearing And Speech
• Free eBook launched, “Teaching A Deaf Child To Hear And Speak – Perfectly“
• Name Change – IDK becomes Sound Advice, under sole tradership status
• Finalist, Social Media Awards (Ireland) – Best Online PR Campaign
• Academic paper published, Journal of Inclusive Practice (NADP, National Association of Disability Practitioners UK)
• Presenter, CESI conference (Computers in Education Society Ireland – topic: sound-effects)
• Hosted European premiere of 95 Decibels film, at the Irish Film Institute

2013

• Policy change: Ireland’s Health Service Executive to fund bilateral pediatric cochlear implants from 2014
• Presenter, Teaching Council’s Feilte expo (topic: school acoustics)
• Finalist, Charity Hack 2013 (fundraising campaigns for five non-profits)
• Starter of student petition to retain BSc. course in Audiology at Athlone Institute of Technology
• Host, NADP-uk.org workshop, “Mindset Change: Perceptions of Ability”
• Parent-teen seminar, “Feeling Isolated? You’re Not Alone!” (Dublin)
• Shortlist, 2013 NDRC Launchpad tech-accelerator program (National Digital Research Centre)
• Catalyst, Happy New Ear parent campaign for bilateral pediatric cochlear implants

2012

• Finalist, NDRC-TCD Science Gallery “Designs For Learning” contest
• Launch of “A Birthday For Ben” mobile app by ITV’s Signed Stories portal
• LINK presenter, “Transition From Higher Education To Work“ (Ghent, Belgium)
• Winner, Tailored Films’ CSR promotional video competition
• IDK’s fifth birthday – August 2012
• Shortlist, Wayra Ireland (Telefonica O2) tech-accelerator program
• Europe’s “Cities For All” network hosts IDK’s captioning presentation
• CESI seminar co-presenter (topic: classroom-captions)
• Policy Change: National Council for Special Education paper, The Education of Deaf Children in Ireland
• Specsavers and Trinity College link for a student Hearing Awareness Day
• Board member, Arts & Disability Ireland (@ADIArts)

2011

• Parent-teen seminar, “Exploring Post-School And College Options” (Dublin)
•  Conference, “Technology and Deaf Children in Mainstream Environments”
• IDK receives CHY2 status from Revenue for tax-free donations
• Finalist, Elevate PR’s “Pitch For €10k” anniversary competition
• Parent-teen seminar, “Meeting and Greeting New People” (Portlaoise)
• Greenhills Young Social Innovator pupils win with ‘Actions Speak Louder Than Words’ project
• Policy Change: Ireland’s National Audiology Review roadmap is published
• Nominated, Ireland’s Social Media Awards (#sockies11)
• Nominated, Ireland’s Blog Awards (Specialist category)
• Conference, “Supported Mainstream Education For Deaf Children” (Dublin)

2010

• Shortlist, Ulster Bank Business Achievers (Leinster) Award
• EdcoDigital invites IDK to submit lesson plans to teacher-resource website
• ITV animates IDK’s “Ben” book on Signed Stories web-portal
• Life-skills workshops for deaf/hard-of-hearing teens begin
• Travel scholarship to “Creativity: Unlocked” international training (Austria)
• Recipient of Ireland’s Education eGovernment Award

2009

• Shortlist, Vodafone World of Difference Programme
•  Launch of “A Birthday For Ben” childrens’ book on deafness
• “Learning Language Is Fun!” sessions at the National Cochlear Implant Unit
• IDK workshop, “Visual Learning” at The Early Education Show (Dublin)

2007 – 2008

• Founder member of the Kanchi Sounding Board (2008)
• Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Level 1 Award (2007)