Deaf Mentor Program

Deaf Mentors work with families of children ages 0-6 who are deaf and hard of hearing living in Virginia. Trained Deaf adults provide mentorship, sharing language, culture, and lived experiences to support communication, self-esteem, and healthy development.

What is a Deaf Mentor?

Deaf Mentors are trained deaf adults that use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. Deaf Mentors serve as role models and language models for deaf children and their hearing family members and will honor your family's culture, values, routines and expectations. Mentors meet regularly with children and their families/caregivers to:

• provide inclusion of child in family conversations
• share sign language and deaf culture
• provide personal insight into hearing loss and lived experiences
• serve as positive role models
• share and connect families with community resources
• teach about assistive technology

Connecting with someone active in the Deaf community creates fun opportunities for cultural immersion and helps children build confidence, esteem, and a strong identity.

Mentorship also promotes effective communication by modeling language consistently and offering guidance on social-emotional development. Combined with early intervention services, these mentorships encourage greater language growth through early bilingual-bicultural experiences.

Training and Expertise

All Deaf Mentors are trained through the SKI-HI Institute, a nationally recognized leader in early intervention since 1972. SKI-HI provides comprehensive programs for families with deaf or hard of hearing children, ensuring mentors are well-prepared to support your child's unique needs.

Program Specifics

The Deaf Mentor Program is free to families in Virginia with children who are deaf or hard of hearing between the ages of 0-6 years old. Deaf Mentor services using the SKI-HI curriculum are provided to families for two years and families agree to meet with their Mentor at least twice per month.

What is a Parent Advisor?

Parent Advisors are a vital part of the Deaf Mentor Program, who are trained using the SKI-HI curriculum. Parent Advisors are usually hearing parents themselves, use sign language, and some are aware of Deaf culture and events that occur within the Deaf communities. Parent Advisors are a source of information for families regarding hearing loss, communication, language and listening skills, and amplification use.

Deaf Mentors and Parent Advisors work together to coordinate services, teach, and support the language goals of each child and family. By working together, the child's lifetime opportunities to interact with and learn from both Deaf and Hearing communities is enhanced.