About Us

The Deaf Wellbeing Society Incorporated is a not-for-profit Deaf led community organisation in New Zealand. Its soul purpose is to empower and enrich the lives of the Deaf through education and to reduce isolation through social contact.

Our Story

Natasha Jumelet is profoundly Deaf and has been working as a Community Support Worker for the Deaf for the last 20 years. During this time Natasha noticed many Deaf adults were unable to prepare healthy economical recipes in the kitchen.

Many lived off frozen fish fingers and takeaways. The majority of this group had grown up when New Zealand Sign Language was banned in schools and as a consequence most could not read well enough to follow a recipe in a cook book. Their parents often could not communicate well with them so many family favourite meals and kitchen skills were not passed on.

In October 2012 Natasha and her sister Yolanda started the Deaf Wellbeing Cooking Club. The club grew in popularity and finally in February 2017 The Deaf Wellbeing Society Incorporated was born!

Our Mission

The Deaf Wellbeing Society Incorporated was founded to:

Promote the physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing of all Deaf people.
Promote and assist with the establishment and maintenance of educational and social activities for the Deaf.
Reduce social isolation.
Encourage and promote all methods of communication for the Deaf, particularly New Zealand Sign Language.
Provide transparent support for the Deaf, to remove the barriers they encounter with communication and education and above all protect the interests of the Deaf.

To empower the Deaf!

Our Future

Since we became incorporated in February 2017 we have grown and provide more services for the Deaf of New Zealand. Our initiatives have included

Starting to film our cooking lessons in NZSL
Running an arts and craft centre for the Deaf complete with a qualified CSW
Organising prison and rest home visits for the Deaf providing very important communication opportunities in NZSL.
A NZSL recorded art programme during Covid 19

We are excited to offer specialised themed art classes.

But there is so much more we would like to do in the future…

Proving support to Deaf parents, CODA's
To create a register of Deaf care givers for other Deaf to utilise and employ.
To work with Deaf youth