


Est. 1994
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
Friends for Young Deaf (FYD)
The Friends for Young Deaf (FYD) movement swept through New Zealand when Christoph Blum was appointed as Youth Coordinator in 1994 after training in England in the early 1990s. The theoretical components of leadership were put into practice on a real-time basis, merging with the Kiwi love of camps and outdoor living. Many of today’s young Deaf leaders participated in an FYD camp at some stage of their development.

2020
video – Taonga source: Attitude Pictures
Inside Outside: Rachel Berry
Rachel Berry lives with her flatmates in Christchurch, where they’re often out exploring. Three out of four in their house are Deaf, so at home they use NZSL.



2003
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: September 2003


2005
video – Taonga source: DEAFinitely Youth Group
1st National Deaf Youth Camp, 2005
The 1st National Deaf Youth Camp – April 2005 at Finlay Adventure Park, Cambridge – was supported and organised by DEAFinitely Youth Group (DYG). It was founded in 2000 to host the 2nd Asia-Pacific Deaf Youth Camp, and it went on to support the 1st NDYC with 25 participants and 5 different workshops.




NZSL Stories


2018
video – Taonga source: Deaf Children New Zealand
NZSL and Us: Jorja Steele, Christchurch
Jorja loves to interact with Deaf students at her age and is a keen surfer. She uses NZSL at home and with both her Deaf and hearing peers. She attends a regular school, but it doesn’t stop her from being able to mingle with Deaf girls at age. Her mother is determined to allow Jorja to have the best of both worlds – Deaf and hearing.




2014
video – Taonga source: Ministry of Education
National Deaf Youth Hui 2014
In August 2014, the Ministry of Education brought Deaf students together from across New Zealand for a weekend of ideas, learning and friendship. The Ministry called the hui to better understand what school is really like for Deaf students and to gather their ideas on how things could be improved. This video captures the workshops, fun activities and growing friendships that happened over the weekend.





1973
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: 1973 (Vol. 10, No. 2)


1980
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: September 1980 (Vol. 3, No. 3)







Est. 2005
Object – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
DEAFinitely Youth Group Comedy Competition: Best Female Performer








2013
video – Taonga source: Attitude Pictures
Young and Deaf: Dean’s Story
Dean Buckley is a young Deaf man on a mission. Only eighteen years old, Dean's already experienced a great deal of adversity, and now he's determined to become a leader and advocate for other Deaf teenagers. First up, taking on the challenges of Youth Parliament, representing Deaf MP Mojo Mathers.





2008
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Signing their way to confidence
Daniel Greenwood of Auckland nimbly negotiates a wall on the Camp David confidence course. Nothing unusual in that, but take a closer look and a second person stands alongside Mr Greenwood using his hands to communicate.


2014
video – Taonga source: Ministry of Education
Ko Wai Au? Who Am I? See My Voice?
A video with six rangatahi communicating their stories of being young Turi Māori (Māori Deaf). The topics they discuss include recognition and acknowledgement of Deaf people in the past, Dame Whina Cooper and the impact of Kelston Deaf Education Centre.





2015
video – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
History through Young Eyes: Interview with Jeff Went
Jeff Went talks about his involvement with Deaf sports and the 1989 World Deaf Games in Christchurch where he volunteered as an ‘international interpreter’ doing 12 hour days over 12 days!






NZSL Stories


1981
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: September 1981 (Vol. 4, No. 3)





NZSL Stories


1996
video – Taonga source: Chris Blum
Summer Deaf Youth Camp: Drama Show
Youth campers at the 1996 Summer Deaf Youth Camp in Otaki put on an entertaining evening drama show!



NZSL Stories


1995
video – Taonga source: Allan Richardson
Central Deaf Youth Camp 1995
The Central Deaf Youth Camp, as organised by FYD at Palm Grove, Paraparaumu, May 1995.


NZSL Stories


2008
video – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
3rd National Deaf Youth Camp, 2008
The Wellington Deaf Youth Group organizes the 3rd National Deaf Youth Camp – a five-day camp in Hastings. The theme of the camp is UNITY.


NZSL Stories


2009
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: July 2009






NZSL Stories


2003
video – Taonga source: DEAFinitely Youth Group
The first Wallace Williams Comedy Evening kicks off!
The first ever Wallace Williams Comedy Evening kicks off in 2003, as a fundraiser for Deaf Youth to attend the WFD Congress in Montreal, Canada.




NZSL Stories


1990
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Autumn/Winter 1990 (Vol. 24, No. 1)
NZSL Stories


2006
video – Taonga source: DEAFinitely Youth Group
2nd National Deaf Youth Camp, 2006
Footage of the 2nd National Deaf Youth Camp was during 25 September to 30 September 2006, with 50 participants. The event was organised by Christchurch Deaf Youth Club which was set up after the 1st National Deaf Youth Camp.




NZSL Stories


2023
article – Taonga source: Stuff
Future leaders of Deaf community share vision for NZ Sign Language
While NZSL Week runs from May 8-14, young leaders of the Deaf community are continuously advocating for their culture and language in the hearing world every other week of the year.









COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
Deaf View conferences
The series of national Deaf View conferences have been organised by Deaf people in New Zealand spanning three decades. Each conference has successfully created a platform for better awareness and understanding of Deaf culture and NZSL language; and nurturing links for a stronger Deaf community at a local, national and international level. They also celebrated the rich achievements and diversity of the Deaf community over the past 30 years as well as often pointing the way forwards, for a better resourced and more empowered Deaf community.


1995
video – Taonga source: Chris Blum
Friends of Young Deaf (FYD) Explained
FYD Leader Chris Blum explains how the programme works.





1979
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: June 1979 (Vol. 2, No. 2)





NZSL Stories


2023
article – Taonga source: Stuff
Acting experience leaves Deaf teen with another career option
New short film 'The Dining Table' is putting emerging Deaf talent from Aotearoa on to film festival screens. Lucy McKenzie-Bridle, 16, a Wellington Girls’ College student, makes her debut in The Dining Table, playing Ana, a Deaf teenager being raised in a hearing family.





2017
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Deaf Southern Star: 2017 (Vol. 39, No. 3)







Est. 2003
Object – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Wallace Williams Memorial Trophy – Comedy






NZSL Stories


2002
video – Taonga source: Sara Pivac Alexander
Asia-Pacific Deaf Youth Camp, 2002
The 2nd Asia Pacific Deaf Youth camp (APDYC) held at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Turangi is featured on ‘Inside Out’. Altogether, there were 43 Deaf youths from 12 countries, 15 youth leaders, 10 interpreters and a couple of guest speakers.




2009
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: April 2009






NZSL Stories

















