Understanding each other!

AKADÁLYUGRÁS (“Overcome the barrier”) labor market service and KONTAKT HSL interpreter services are innovative, based on Deaf users’ suggestions. We builds bridge between the open labor market and Deaf jobseekers. Once the connection has been established between employer and employee, KONTAKT will contribute to their accessible communication, providing them with remote HSL interpretation and speech-to-text services. Our services have revolutionized the labor market integration of Deaf people and welcomes them into the open labour market. Our portfolio includes 10 companies with 626 premises.

The deaf and people with hearing impairments often face discrimination in Hungary. Access to employment and labour market services are often not accessible. We created our programme in response to this challenge. Job advertisements and internal information from employers are adapted to sign language by the deaf.

We develop services to provide independent living and employment for the deaf and people with hearing impairments. The sign language remote interpreter and text-based operator service, KONTAKT, and the complementary HR service, AKADÁLYUGRÁS, create accessible communication between employers and our clients.

We work with the deaf, people with hearing impairments, and employers. Based on the “nothing about us, without us” principle, we share information in sign language and captioning. 7 deaf regional representatives have moderated workshops nationwide on our service in sign language. All of our staff also know sign language.  

We encourage a paradigm shift. We focus on the open labour market. As a result of our work, employers recognise the beneficial impacts of these socially responsible practices. They work to ensure that accessible conditions for employing deaf people are met by offering accessible communications.

The project is fully adaptable as a best practice anywhere. There is currently no similar service in Eastern Europe. We hope that our work will set a good example and motivate advocacy NGOs working with the deaf and people with hearing impairments in neighbouring countries.