British Sign Language Plan

The Scottish Government wants to make Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work and visit.  As a result the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 was passed and, following this, a national plan for Scotland was published which outlined 10 key long-term goals. 

These are:

• Public services
• Family support, early learning and childcare
• School education
• Post-school education
• Training, work and social security
• Health, mental health and wellbeing
• Transport
• Culture and the arts
• Justice
• Democracy

In addition, local authorities and public bodies such as universities had a duty to create their own local plans.  The university’s plan details the actions it will take to encourage users to apply to the university and to improve the support available to BSL users. 

Read the university's BSL plan or watch it in its entirety below.  If you prefer, you can watch it in separate sections. You can also read the BSL Plan in Gaelic.

External support

SAAS Funding Guides explain (in BSL videos) what you need to know if you are Scottish and thinking of attending college or university and planning to apply for student finance.

Deaf Action deliver a range of services to individuals with sensory support needs in Scotland.

Mental Health Resources A series of British Sign Language videos on mental health can be found here, which aim to help breakdown the stigma of mental health issues and encourage deaf people to talk to others about their mental health. These were produced by a partnership of organisations including Deaf Scotland, Deaf Links, and See Me.

Contact Scotland provide a service connecting BSL users, through an online video relay service, with Scotland's public authorities, voluntary sector, and others.

BSL Students: Facebook Deaf Action have created a Facebook group for BSL users studying in Scotland, aged 16-30, which aims to be a useful information hub.

Interpreting Solutions provide a range of services to D/deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals around the UK. This includes;

- Language Professional Service (Communication Support Workers, British Sign Language Interpreters, Notetakers, Palantypists, Deaf Relay Interpreters, Deaf Blind Interpreters, Lip Speaking Interpreters, Teachers of the Deaf and Specialist Mentors, and Advocacy to potential students) 

- Deaf Student Recruitment (Interpreting Solutions are a specialist agency involved in the recruitment of deaf and hard of hearing students; this is done by supporting students with UCAS, SFE and DSA)

- Disability Awareness Event (including bespoke events)

- Deaf Awareness Training (Raising awareness and providing knowledge of the Deaf community and their relation to Education)