The Royal Association for Deaf people (RAD) is a British charitable organization whose mission is to promote the welfare and interests of Deaf people. It is a Deaf-led organisation.
RAD services cover the following areas:
- Legal, advocacy and employment services - RAD supports Deaf people to achieve independence and help them with understanding rights and finances. It provides employment and legal advice, and specialist support for Deaf people from black and ethnic minority communities.
- Children, families and youth service - RAD provides activities and support groups for families with parents and/or children who are deaf or hard or hearing. It also runs activities which give deaf teenagers skills and confidence for adulthood.
- Deaf community development - By working with Deaf clubs and other self-help groups, RAD provides Deaf people with places to meet as well as social and leisure activities.
- Interpreting - RAD provides high quality British Sign Language/English Interpreters, Deafblind Interpreters, Lipspeakers, Note-takers and Speech to Text Reporters. There is also an emergency service that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Social care - Specialist support is provided for Deaf people who are old, or have learning disabilities and/or mental health challenges… and the people who care for them.