Who We Are
About Us
HIPEN is a network of organisations within the EU which are particularly active in providing services for people of all ages with hearing impairments including rehabilitation, education, employment, vocational training, and research.
HIPEN exists to develop and promote the activities of service providers in their work to improve the position of people who have hearing impairments.
HIPEN is aware of growing European Unification and of the necessity for co-operation on a permanent basis within the EU in order to promote these activities.
Sharing Best Practices in Deaf Education and Training
To exchange and develop with Members models of best practice in the field of education and training for people of all ages who are Deaf/hearing impaired.
Advocating for Deaf Education: Lobbying Efforts in the EU
To lobby within the EU in order to promote our activities and interests as professional workers in the education and training of people who are Deaf/hearing impaired, including raising public awareness of the needs of deaf and hearing impaired people.
Securing Funding for Member-Driven Projects
To develop and, where appropriate, manage projects on specific topics in which Members are interested, with funding from external sources.
Fostering Collaboration for Best Practices and Projects
To support work groups with Members from each organisation in order to develop models of best practice and ideas for such projects.
Streamlining Network Communications
To establish and coordinate communications to the best appropriate standard between Members and within the network.
Backing UN Rights Declaration
Through its actions, HIPEN supports the Declaration by the United Nations on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975)
How We Work
HIPEN has two General Meetings each year and member organisations across Europe take turns to be host. The autumn meeting focuses on European projects – topics, participants and applications. We are proud of many completed and ongoing projects which are funded by Europe. The projects include professional exchanges, student exchanges, sharing our expertise, learning from each other and devising toolkits, guides and assessments to be used by professionals in their work. Project reports and news can be seen on our website.
This valuable network has been in existence since 2007 and has members throughout Europe. Our spring meeting concentrates on agreed topics for exploration and research, and hosting centres invite local experts and arrange educational and clinical visits, lectures and workshops.
The Board
Composition
The Board consists of 4 officers who are nominated from amongst the Member Organisations and who are elected at HIPEN General Meetings. The Current Board consists of:
President: Philippe Belseur (Centre Charlotte Blouin, Angers, France)
Vice President: Joanna Siniiewicz-Ostrowska (Krakovian Secondary School for Young People with Hearing Impairments, Krakow, Poland)
Treasurer: Christine Geffray (Centre Charlotte Blouin, Angers, France)
Secretary: Enrico Dolza (Istituto dei Sordi di Torino, Italy)
Responsibilities
The Board is responsible for the objectives and activities of HIPEN. The elected Board Members hold office for a period of three years and may be proposed for re-election. The Board meets at least twice a year and makes an annual report of HIPEN’s activities to Members, to be used also for the dissemination of HIPEN’s activities. A period of office of a board member may be terminated by a simple majority of all members. The coordinator – John Harris (jghcymru@outlook.com) – reports to the President and Members of the Board and works in accordance with their instructions.
Network Coordinator
Jeign Craig HIPEN Network Coordinator
Qualified Teacher (Cantab)
Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (NCTD) with over 40 years experience.
An experienced Teacher for the Deaf having taught deaf children of all ages (0-25 years) in peripatetic services and residential schools, specialising in Speech teaching, audiology and as a language specialist.
HIPEN membership:
- UK representative
- External Evaluator for European Project: ProDeafToolKit (2 years, 6 countries)
- Trustee – Cued Speech Association UK. An advocate of Cued Speech since its introduction to England in 1977.
- HIPEN – Vice-President (3 years)
- Honorary Consultant for HIPEN
CONTACT: Coordinator – Jeign Craig –
jeigncraig34@icloud.com +33 607 56 12 89 .
Address: La Pinede, Plaine St Pierre, 34500 Beziers, FRANCE
• Head of Further Education for the Deaf in Bedfordshire
• Head of College at Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education
• Regional tutor for Teacher of the Deaf courses (University of Birmingham),
• Registered CSW Tutor & Moderator (Communication Support Worker for Deaf students) courses
• Registered Tutor & Assessor – Note-taking for Deaf Students ( Exeter Academy and University of Bristol)
• Registered Tutor & Assessor for Note-taking for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education (University of Plymouth)
• Qualified in British Sign Language, Sign Linguistics & processes of interpreting (University of Bristol) (freelance interpreter for the RNID.)
• Trainer & Assessor – Signed English (Working Party for Signed English)
• Trainer & Assessor – Cued Speech (Cued Speech Association UK)
• Lecturer & Assessor – Masters 2 Post – Degree Qualification in Deafness and Language Accessibility. Teaching practical Cued Speech, Approach to Teaching using Cued Speech and the Reception of Cued Speech –infant to adolescent (Universite Catholique de L’Ouest, Angers, France)
Foundation and Legal Status
HIPEN was established at a Meeting on the 8th January 2007 at the Zakladna Skola Internatna Pre Sluchovo Postihnutych Viliama Ganu, Kremnica, Slovakia. The Founder Members were:
- Aura Instituuti (Finland)
- Centre Charlotte Blouin (France)
- Specialny Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy dla Dzieci Nieslyszacych (Poland)
- Scoala Speciala pentru Deficienti de Auz nr.1 Cluj Napoca (Romania)
- Zakladna Skola Internatna Pre Sluchovo Postihnutych Viliama Ganu Kremnica (Slovakia)
And they agreed the following Memorandum of Understanding as the basis for founding and managing HIPEN as a European Network.
Subsequently, this became the basis for its Registration in France by Statute as an Association under the law of 1st of July 1901 and the Order in Council of 16th of August 1901.
The Registered Office of HIPEN is:
Centre Charlotte Blouin
4 rue Abbé Frémond
49100 Angers
France
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
