How is H&V /GBYS program model different from other forms of family support?
At the foundation of GBYS is our Hands & Voices value of peer support, and a parent-driven agenda. There is a comfort level that happens very naturally between parents who can relate to each other’s experience of coping with their child’s hearing loss, and facing the challenges of navigating a service system that was created and implemented by professionals. This process can be confusing to the uninitiated, and the benefit of having someone who’s “been there, done that” is inestimable. Assuring that the quality of the interaction upholds our mission of unbiased support is the purpose of required training our Parent Guides and DHH Guides to be appropriate in their GBYS roles. Traditional forms of parent outreach are often driven by a professional agenda of some sort, and they’re often characterized by low attendance at sponsored events, little investment from the desired audience, and an overall lack of participation from families. As a parent-driven, parent/professional collaborative o
