Language courses VGT & NL
The migration procedure
My rights and obligations
Overview of organizations
Deaf clubs in Flanders
Information for services
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West-Vlaanderen
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Oost-Vlaanderen
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- Doof & Jong Vlaanderen(Ghent)
- Doof & Senior Vlaanderen(Ghent)
- Doofbewust Vlaanderen (Ghent)
- Doof Verleden Vlaanderen (Ghent)
- Doof & Gezin Vlaanderen (Ghent)
- Doof & LGBT+ (Ghent)
- DovenSport Vlaanderen (Ghent)
- Dove Trekvogels (Ghent)
- Vereniging Dove Zelfstandigen (Ghent)
- GTG Gent (Ghent)
- De vrienden van Priester De l'Epee (Ghent)
- De Dendervrienden (Ninove)
- De Egmontsvrienden (Zottegem)
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Antwerpen
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Limburg
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Vlaams-Brabant/Brussel
Departments of Doof Vlaanderen
Doof & Senior Vlaanderen (Deaf & Senior Flanders) brings together all people representing each seniors’ department within each regional deaf club in Flanders. Also, Doof & Senior Vlaanderen takes up the role of spokesperson for all eldery deaf people in Flanders.
Doofbewust Vlaanderen (Deaf Awareness Flanders) aims to organise trainings for deaf people. In that, they can personally develop themselves more in order to stand up for themselves and decide upon their own lives.
Doof Verleden Vlaanderen (Deaf Past Flanders) is responsible for the Flemish Deaf community’s rich archive and heritage. Doof Verleden Vlaanderen collects all files and items in order to reveal them all to a broad audience.
Doof & Gezin (Deaf & Family) is a Flemish parents’ association uniting hearing and deaf parents having deaf and hearing children. Doof & Gezin aims to bring parents together in order to give them an opportunity to exchange experiences on language, education, … Also, the association offers trainings and lectures.
Doof & LGBT+ (Deaf & LGBT+) is an associations that defends the rights of deaf LGBT+ people in Flanders. LGBT+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and +. Deaf & LGBT+ represent the Flemish deaf LGBT+ community.
DovenSport Vlaanderen (Deaf Sport Flanders), Doof Vlaanderen’s sports partner, is an umbrella organisation representing all affiliated sports clubs and sports associations for the deaf in Flanders.
The Helen Keller Club was founded to offer recreational activities to deafblind people (in the widest sense of the term) and also stands up for the rights and well-being of deafblind people in Flanders.
De Dove Trekvogels (the Deaf Migrating Birds) is a travel association offering group travel services to deaf sign language users.
Vereniging Dove Zelfstandigen (Deaf Freelancers Association) stands up for the rights of working deaf freelancers (in principal or secondary occupation) in Flanders.
Affiliated Deaf clubs
De Haerne Club is a non-profit organisation that was originally founded to be a sports club but gradually expanded its aims. The club is active in the region of Kortrijk, completely managed by volunteers and offers sports and many other events for a variety of people. The non-profit organisation aims to provide a place for deaf and hard-of-hearing people in which they can relax as fully valued human beings.
Departments
- • Dovensporten (Deaf Sports) De Haerne Club Kortrijk
- • De Haerne Jongerenwerking (Youth Club)
- Guldensporenkaarten (Cards of the Golden Spurs)
- De Haerne Ontspanningsclub (Recreation Club)
- +55
- De Haerne Stil & Blij Ieper (Silent & Happy Ypres)
Working groups
- Toneelgroep "Niemand is perfect" (Drama Group)
- Gebarencursus (Sign Language Course)
In Ghent, various deaf clubs are active. Also, local deaf clubs organize manu activitities there. GTG Gent organizes events for both young and older deaf people, no matter if they like creativity, sports or yet something else most.
Departments
- Damesclub Gent (Ladies Club Ghent)
- GTG 55+ Senioren (+55 Seniors)
- Manillen & Teerling (Manille & Dice)
- Jeugdclub de Joker (Youth Club the Joker)
- Team GTG MTB & Cycling deaf
- Vriendenkring (Friend Zone)
- Kinderclub Dococlub (Children's Club Dococlub)
- KSVS Gent 1921 vzw
- De stevige stappers (Hiking Club)
- Gentse Gebarenkring (GGK) (Ghent's Sign Language Club)
- Cultuur & Vorming (Culture & Training)
- Ghent Knights
- Creatieve hobby (Creative Hobby)
The non-profit organisation Limburgia’s headquarters are to be found in De Schakel in the city of Hasselt. Limburgia consists of a members’ association, sign language club and a senior club. Everyone is welcome to join no matter if you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or hearing.
Departments
- Limburgia-Senioren (Senior Club)
- Gebarenkring (Sign Language Club)
- Ledenbeweging (Members' Association)
The non-profit organisation Madosa was already founded in the 19th century. Madosa, short for Maatschappij voor Doven en Slechthorenden te Antwerpen (Antwerp Society of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing), provides deaf and hard-of-hearing people a socio-cultural community centre consisting of various affiliations.
Departments
- Andothe
- Archief (Archive)
- Jeugdclub De Vlinder (Youth Club The Butterfly)
- Deaf Comedy Belgium vzw
- Dodacan
- Dosena
- Dosporta
- Dovca
- Red devil - deaf bikers
- Studio Madosa
- Kinderclub De Cocoon (Children's Club the Cocoon)
- Madosa evenement (Madosa Event)
- 't Antwaarps gebaar (the Antwerp Sign)
Nowedo has only been founded in 1994 but quickly broadened its perspectives. Right now the North-Western non-profit organisation for Flemish Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people consists of many departments and working groups, both locally oriented and specifically focusing on some age groups.
Departments
- Blauwe Valken (Blue Falcons)
- Brugse Gebarenkring (Sign Language Club of Bruges)
- Dove Frisse Stappers (Deaf Hiking Club)
- De Zeester ter Oostende (Ostend Starfish)
- Jongerenwerking "Witte Beer" (Youth Club "White Bear")
- Kinderclub De Dolfijntjes (Children's Club The Dolphines)
- Kompas (Compas)
- Nowedo Senioren (Nowedo Senior Club)
- Koninklijke Brugse Dovenvereniging (Royal Deaf Association of Bruges)
- Vrouwenclub Ladies Only!? (Women's Club)
- DovenActie (Deaf Action) Brugge
- DovenActie (Deaf Action) Oostkamp
- DovenActie (Deaf Action) Torhout
- DovenActie (Deaf Action) Roeselare
- DovenActie (Deaf Action) Oostende-Middelkust
Working groups
- DOC Effeta
- Communicatie (Communication)
- Evenementen (Events)
- Vorming (Training)
- Archief (Archive)
- Fundraising
The non-profit organisation Piramime is an umbrella organisation consisting of many Deaf Clubs located in the region of the Kempen and has many departments focusing on various age groups, even including a Fishing Club and a Pastime Club. The city of Turnhout is its home base.
Departments
- Kemados
- Kedosport
- Kebildo
- Kedoka
- Jeugdclub De Kempen (Youth Club)
- Bezigheidsclub (Pastime Club)
- Kedokids (Children's Club)
Working groups
- Kinderverhalen (Children Stories)
- Gebarenkring (Sign Language Club)
Tred, short for Trefpunt voor Doven (Meeting Point for the Deaf), is a Flemish association for deaf, hard-of-hearing and sign language using people in Brussels. Apart from its common functioning, Tred has also founded a department for seniors in 2018.
De Getrouwe vrienden
Departments
- De Vurige Manillers (Cards Club)
- De Levensgenieters (Bon Vivants)
- De Orde van den Vlaschaard (den Vlaschaard's Order)
Kajong is a deaf association in the city of Hasselt focusing on bilingualism. Whereas Flemish Sign Language is the only language used to communicate in other deaf clubs, at Kajong both Flemish Sign Language and Dutch are being used to communicate. As such, Kajong has attention for deaf people who grew up developing a deaf identity as well as deaf people who have integrated into mainstream education and did not yet develop a deaf identity.
The Dendervrienden (Friends of the Dender), located in Ninove, monthly organise an activity, e.g. a Christmas party, a hiking trip or a day trip.
Being founded in 1825 in the city of Ghent, ‘De vrienden van priester De L’Epée’ (Priest De l’Epée’s Friends) is the oldest deaf club in Flanders. It is still active in the same location. During the last Sunday of each month a relaxing activity is being organised, e.g. an dinner party or a cycling trip.
VW Club Deaf is a deaf club uniting deaf people who are passionate about vintage Volkswagen cars. Within the Volkswagen community this deaf club will create a Deaf Space each time they reunite.
The Egmontsvrienden (Egmont’s friends) is a deaf club that is active in the region of Oudenaarde-Geraardsbergen. The centrally located town of Zottegem serves as their home base.
Meeting points for deaf migrants
15 Post Soviet by deaf people in Belgium
15 Post Soviet by Deaf People in Belgium is an association focusing on deaf and hard-of-hearing Eastern European people who have migrated to Belgium. The association was spontaneous in origin and organizes activities every two or three months. It aims to give those people the opportunity to meet one another, exchange experiences and have access to their native language and culture once again.
Its (private) Facebookgroup is available here.
AYA
AYA is an islamic cultural association for deaf muslims in Belgium within which learning about the Islam religion is being made accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing people. The association aims at providing them with social support, and ease their access to culture and spirituality by offering conventions and trainings that match their needs as well as creating video material (lexicon, videos, …). AYA focuses on deaf people within the entire country of Belgium. Languages used are Flemish Sign Language (VGT), Langue des Signes Belgique Francophone (LSFB), Dutch and French.
Alpha-Signes
Located in Brussels, Alpha-Signes is an association using LSFB and French as its languages for communication. To deaf adults (aged 18 or older) the association offers trainings in both written French and mathematics using LSFB in order to fight against illiteracy amongst deaf adults.