A new initiative to support sign language users across the county was approved by North Ayrshire Council's cabinet on Tuesday.

The Scottish Government wants to make the country the best place in the world for British Sign Language users to live, work and visit.

And the BSL Local Plan for 2023-30 means those who use sign language will be fully involved in public life.

This is the second Ayrshire Shared BSL Local Plan, developed in partnership with Ayrshire College; East, North and South Ayrshire Councils; East, North and South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnerships and NHS Ayrshire & Arran. 

This plan sets out the priorities identified through consultation with BSL users living, working and studying in Ayrshire. 

Those priorities included accessibility, children, young people and their families , access to employment , health and wellbeing  and democratic participation

The plan sets out the strategic aims the partners will take between 2024 and 2030 to enable BSL users to be involved in daily and public life in Scotland, as active, healthy citizens, and ensure they will be able to make informed choices about every aspect of their lives.

The Ayrshire plan has been developed in partnership with local BSL users. This ensures that their concerns and issues have been listened to and are reflected in the aims taken forward in the plan.

North Ayrshire Council will publish a progress report in 2027, as well as engage with their local BSL users to incorporate any additional aims identified through this process with a goal of delivering it by 2030.