UK Deaf Sport Athlete Advisory Group
Information for 2022 Member Applications
Introduction
The UK Deaf Sport Athlete Advisory Group (AAG) is an advisory group that brings together professional 1deaf athletes from across the UK and across sporting disciplines, to share, inform and discuss issues affecting deaf athletes from grassroot participation to elite competition level.
The AAG has an important role to inform, challenge and contribute to the UK Deaf Sport strategy and vision. Its key role is to ensure that the views and experiences of deaf athletes from across the sporting community are included and represented at the highest level of UK Deaf Sport decision making.
The AAG will consist of 9 deaf athletes, including the Chair, from a range of recognised deaf sports including both team and individual sports. Each member of the group will be appointed for a 3-year term and will report to the UK Deaf Sport CEO and Board of Directors. The AAG Chair will also be invited to attend UK Deaf Sport Board meetings to represent the views of the AAG.
We’re looking for deaf athletes who are passionate about deaf sport and athlete representation, and who are willing to bring fresh ideas and contributions to UK Deaf Sport.
Why get involved?
Your experience, expertise and skill in your sport can help shape the direction of UK Deaf Sport and the future for deaf athletes and the pathway to the DeaflympicsGB team. Through the AAG you will work with like-minded individuals and engage the wider deaf athlete community.
You will have an important role in shaping our work, developing, and leading our strategic priorities, identifying athlete pathways and campaigning for recognition for all deaf athletes.
What is the time commitment?
All Athlete Advisory members will be appointed for a 3-year term; with a maximum service of 6 years (2 consecutive terms).
Members are asked to attend quarterly online meetings. In between meetings there may additional ad hoc meetings or emails to discuss and inform on key topics or issues.
In addition, there may be opportunities to get more involved in sub task groups or other projects.  
Who is eligible to apply?
We welcome deaf athletes from all backgrounds, genders and recognised deaf sports.
To apply for the Athlete Advisory Group, you must:
• Be aged 18 or over.
• Be 1deaf or have a hearing loss
• Be a current deaf athlete, competing in either international or domestic events, either in a team or as an individual.
• Be able to attend at least four meetings per year.
• Be willing to gain and then represent, the views of other deaf athletes who are not AAG members at the AAG meetings.
How will a wide range of deaf athletes be represented?
It is important the AAG represents the interests and views of a wide range of deaf athletes from across the deaf sporting community.
The group will include active and recently retired athletes, no fewer than 3 members of either gender and only 1 member representing any single sport.
The group will have 9 members:
- A Chair, who is currently competing at national or international level in a deaf sport.
- 8 athlete representatives from recognised deaf sports including:
3 international athletes from team sports (2 must be currently competing)
3 international athletes from individual sports (2 must be currently competing)
2 national level athletes (1 team and 1 individual sport; 1 must be currently competing)
We welcome athletes who have recently retired or are not currently competing, but there shall be no more than 3 and they must have competed in deaf sport within the past 4 years.
The group will include additional members such as the CEO of UK Deaf Sport, the Chair of the Performance Advisory Group and representatives from the Relations Advisory Group.
All members will be recruited by open recruitment. You can read the full Terms of Reference for the Athlete Advisory Group.
Interested?
Go to ukdeafsport.org.uk/about-ukds...
Apply by completing the application form and emailing it to info@ukds.org.uk by 9am Monday 30 January 2023.
UK Deaf Sport uses the term ‘deaf’ in this document to cover a range of potential definitions of deafness, including those who are profoundly deaf, have significant hearing loss or are hard of hearing. It is acknowledged that definitions and understanding of Deaf and deafness can be complex. Within the deaf community there are perceptions around the level of deafness where some who are completely deaf consider themselves to be different compared to those with hearing loss. This also includes the use of the terms Deaf and deaf whereby the use of a capital D in Deaf can denote those who identify as having a cultural and shared experience of being Deaf, usually with profound or little hearing and may use sign language, whereas the use of lowercase d in deaf can refer to those who have both a significant hearing loss or are hard of hearing.