Hearing Diagnostics’ goal is to make hearing care accessible to everybody, including the least represented.
To ensure Audimetroid, Hearing Diagnostics’ flagship technology, yields reliable hearing test results in individuals from different backgrounds, age groups and demographics, our Test Administrator team has been seeking out communities from diverse backgrounds. This is how we came across the Women Integration Network (WIN) Glasgow (see bottom of article for more info on WIN).
WIN was first introduced to Eunice, our Operations Researcher, as a group composed of mostly African women with a migrant or asylum-seeker background, who are faced with difficult barriers in managing the cost of everyday life, while working diligently toward becoming a member of the UK’s society.
As health-related concerns often vanish into the background due to other pressing matters, WIN suggested that the group would benefit from accessing free community-based hearing screening and receiving information on hearing care from Hearing Diagnostics.
On 23rd March 2023, Eunice and Claudia from Hearing Diagnostics attended the weekly WIN meeting at The Pyramid (Glasgow), which was well attended by more than 30 WIN members. Eunice delivered a presentation, focusing on the importance of hearing care and early detection of hearing loss to avoid the negative consequences of unmanaged hearing loss. The members of the group were provided with ear plugs and hearing care information sheets, in addition to being invited to participate in the Audimetroid pilot study, all of which was warmly received.
The event closed after a Q&A with local councillor Bailie Christy Mearns (Glasgow City Council) and Meave (Jobs & Business Glasgow), during which the difficulties of living as a migrant and asylum-seeker became very tangible.
While hearing care is definitely not the most pressing matter, we nevertheless want to ensure we support these women in the best way we can. As of May, we will be running monthly community hearing screening at The Pyramid after WIN meetings, which will also serve as a space to discuss any hearing care related questions.
We are grateful to WIN to have us on board and for every member who shared their stories with us. These women are on a difficult path towards establishing themselves as a member of the UK’s society and we’re proud to be able to shine a light on this amazing group of women.
Women Integration Network Glasgow
The Women Integration Network (WIN) is a Glasgow-based charity, founded by Olivia Ndoti in 2022, with the aim for reducing isolation using communication and social groups amongst women from ethnic and cultural minority groups. A core activity of WIN is the support of asylum-seeking and migrant women. The WIN charity community has been growing steadily, which is a testament to the importance of the work done by WIN