GCU British Sign Language Plan 2018-2024

GCU BSL Plan 2018-2024

Glasgow Caledonian University's (GCU) British Sign Language (BSL) Plan, as required by the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015, sets out actions we will take over the period 2018-2024. It follows the BSL National Plan, and is framed around the same long-term goals as the BSL National Plan, where these are relevant to the work of the University.

Glasgow Caledonian is the University for the Common Good and the plan supports our mission to make a positive difference to the communities we serve and this is at the heart of all we do. Through this plan, GCU is committed to protecting and supporting BSL, including in its tactile form.

View the BSL version of our BSL plan: GCU BSL Plan 2018-2024 (BSL video format)

Download the English version of our BSL plan: GCU British Sign Language Plan 2018-2024 (pdf format)

BSL (Scotland) Act 2015

The BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 places a duty on Scottish Ministers to promote the use and understanding of BSL as a language, and to publish a BSL National Plan. Scotland’s first BSL National Plan was published in October 2017 which covers the Scottish Government and over 50 national public bodies that Scottish Ministers have responsibility for.

The BSL National Plan sets out ten long-term goals for BSL in Scotland, covering early years and education; training and work; health, mental health and wellbeing; transport; culture and the arts; justice and democracy. It describes 70 actions Scottish Ministers will take by 2020 to make progress towards these goals. The plan was developed with the active participation of Deaf and Deafblind BSL users who worked with public bodies as part of the BSL National Advisory Group. A progress report will be published in 2020, with a further set of actions that will be delivered by 2023.