Josie Caven entered local politics last year when she was elected as the Liberal Democrat councillor for Kingsley on Harrogate Town Council. The mother-of-two now chairs the council's planning committee and spoke on behalf of the council at last week's Harrogate Spring Water planning committee meeting. Here she explains why she became politically active.

I was born with wide vestibular aqueduct syndrome, which means I was profoundly deaf and lost the rest of my hearing at the age of 12. I have been dealing with discrimination and impositions from society throughout my life.

A recent example occurred when a hospital sent me a text message requesting me to call a department. I have repeatedly reminded them that I cannot hear on the phone. So, in the end my daughter had to help me phone, only to find out it was about her surgery. We were both told that the text message was their reasonable adjustment.

This highlights my frustrations and I have been banging on doors only to find out that no one is listening or willing to make changes.

This is one of the main reasons why I decided to become a councillor, because if no-one will make the legally required changes, I will continue to increase my influence on the issues and ensure they happen.

I am so thankful to be an elected official to give the deaf community a platform and opportunities to empower them. 

How you can help

I would like to ask readers if they would please consider widening the deaf community's world by learning even a few basic signs or attending a course at Harrogate College.

Being understood and having people be patient and kind is so vital, because not every deaf person has a cochlear implant or is able to speak. It is always best to ask a deaf person how you can help and what they need or want.

The biggest thing I am advocating is for deaf children and deaf people like me who have been deprived of British Sign Language to have total access to our identity and community by receiving free BSL lessons. Sadly, today there are deaf children still being told not to learn BSL even with the British Sign Language Act 2022.

I am enjoying my journey as a councillor and hope to represent residents in all their needs to ensure that they have a voice. While my lived experiences drive my passion for accessibility, my role as chair of Harrogate Town Council’s planning committee allows me to apply that same scrutiny to the physical and structural future of our town.

It has been a huge learning curve getting up to date with terminologies and how a council works, but it has been so much fun and rewarding, especially when I represented Harrogate Town Council last week in objecting to Harrogate Spring Water’s planning application. I was able to ensure that the voices of our residents were not just heard but prioritised.

Life as a councillor

Being part of the council at its inception has been a challenge. Progress can appear slow at times but that is only due to the immense amounts of procedural elements and policies that councils are obliged to follow. On the other hand, time has really flown by and there has been so much to do, such as events and other projects.

The acceptance and support I have received from within the council has been really appreciated and I am using that as a model to create spaces within the wider world where reasonable adjustments are a natural part of a collaborative environment.

Representation of deaf people in politics is minimal. I have yet to meet another deaf politician. But although I am fighting for the rights of the deaf community, I want to be here for everyone who is left banging on doors and not being listened to.

Here are some resources where you can learn more about sign language and the issues deaf people face:

BSL dictionary here 

Online BSL courses here

A useful charity resource to understand how to communicate with deaf people here