The Eindhoven city hall has recently opened a sign language coffee bar, or a ‘sign language coffee bar’. Employees of this coffee bar are hearing impaired.
Civil servant Kristel Mooij orders a cappuccino with oat milk. “It’s fantastic to order your coffee differently. You learn new things that you normally wouldn’t learn so quickly. And it’s nice to get in touch with other people I normally don’t meet often”. She notes that the order list is still missing one option in sign language: “Sausage roll”, she says with a laugh.
The order screen also features videos demonstrating gestures for conversation. You can learn how to say ‘good afternoon’ or ‘works!’ in sign language. “I like that”, says Jelle. “Normally, when you order something, you also say ‘thank you’ and ‘have a nice day’. This is a good addition; otherwise, it feels very businesslike.
In his daily life, Jelle rarely interacts with people who are hearing impaired. However, working at the city hall has changed that. “I live very much in my bubble. It makes me think. Inclusion, which means everyone can participate in society, is something we don’t always consider, but it’s very important.”
The coffee bar employees are called ‘Gebaarista’, a blend of ‘barista’ and ‘gesture’. Nusha Coffie, aptly named, is one of these employees. She previously worked as a cleaner in-home care for the elderly. After receiving training to make various types of coffee, she started working in Eindhoven this year.
Nusha observes that customers sometimes feel nervous about ordering in sign language. “Some get very nervous and don’t know what to do. I help them a bit so they can learn to sign better.” She appreciates that customers try to chat with her. “People make an effort to communicate with me. They still have a lot to learn in terms of sign language, but they’ll get there”.
The municipality of Eindhoven aims to be an inclusive city, accessible to everyone. “Equal opportunities are our top priority”, says alderman Mieke Verhees.
“To reflect society accurately, we want to allow everyone to work here. This fosters an understanding of sign language. People enjoy learning it. You also see that understanding is created between different worlds, showing how far you can go when you immerse yourself in another’s experience”.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Seetha
