Training of guides with hearing impairments
Training of guides with hearing impairments for inclusive cultural tourism
Type of project: Exploratory Research
Disability concerned: Hearing disability
Topics: Equality at work, Education, Participation in cultural life, sports and leisure activities
Status: In progress
The project aims to promote the training and professional employment of persons with disabilities in cultural tourism by creating attractive and meaningful experiences that respect their different abilities and perspectives. The current project aims to train guides with hearing impairments in all ethnographic museums offering cultural itineraries, focusing on easily accessible areas and promoting replicable inclusive activities.
The project aims to promote the training and professional employment of people with disabilities in cultural tourism by creating attractive and meaningful experiences that respect their different abilities and perspectives.
In Switzerland, inclusive cultural co-design initiatives are rare, despite notable examples such as Pro Infirmis’ “Inclusive Culture” label and the sensory/inclusive experiences offered by some museums. However, the challenge is growing with inclusive tourism, which is often limited to motor disabilities and the removal of architectural barriers. The Swiss Mobile platform plays a crucial role in this context by promoting accessible trails and providing information on distances, gradients, transport and accessible accommodation. However, investing in inclusive tourism requires more than a strictly architectural approach.
Persons with disabilities can feel like strangers in their place of residence and occasional visitors to the common space.
Guided tours for people with hearing impairments, for example, are usually translated by a hearing guide who is often not specialised in the content of the tour. This creates a disparity in understanding and has a negative impact on the quality of the experience. On the other hand, direct interaction with an experienced guide with an hearing impairment in the museum greatly improves the understanding of people with hearing impairments and enables them to become more involved. For hearing groups, taking part in guided tours led by a person with hearing impairments with a LIS interpreter allows them to experience social inclusion, to discover a little-known reality and the cultural content for which they have requested the visit.
In Switzerland, people with hearing impairments are four times more likely to suffer injustice. In addition, the limited accessibility of education for people with hearing impairments compromises their professional opportunities. Intervening with individualised training, which values the diversity of needs and skills, promotes the independence and autonomy of persons with disabilities, thus contributing to the construction of an inclusive territory.
In 2023, the Verzasca Valley Museum launched experimental training for people with hearing impairments as guides for an ethnographic exhibition, enabling inclusive visits for hearing people (with sign language interpreters) and deaf people, with a guide integrated into the museum team. The current project aims to extend this experience by training guides with hearing impairments in all ethnographic museums offering cultural itineraries, focusing on easily accessible areas and promoting replicable inclusive activities.
