Author: Roman Polasek, Laura Hudecova
Videographer / Editor: Richard Demcak
The DeafStudio editorial team travelled to the charming Dutch city of Groningen, which welcomed us with its picturesque architecture, quiet canals and pleasant atmosphere. The aim of our trip was to visit the Turkoois organization and get to know their unique model of working with deaf people.
Upon arriving in Groningen, we were struck not only by the beauty of the city, but also by the open attitude of the local people. Turkoois is housed in a historic building belonging to the Deaf Club, which gives the whole project an authentic character.
“When I founded Turkoois, the first goal was a café. The building belongs to the Deaf Club, to whom we pay a monthly rent,” explains the director of the organisation. He noticed that the premises were unused during the mornings during the week, which inspired him to create the LUHU café on the ground floor.
Over time, Turkoois activities have expanded. Today, in addition to the café, they run DNieuws – a daily news service for the deaf community, participate in European Erasmus+ projects and provide professional translation and interpreting services.
Working conditions at Turkoois are adapted to the needs of the deaf. The organisation employs approximately 20 people, half of whom work in the café and the other half in administrative or creative positions. Interestingly, some staff work remotely from other countries – including Belgium and Switzerland.
“I noticed that at Turkoois, employees who had previously worked among hearing people had barriers and problems with communication. They did not feel comfortable. But here they feel at home,” the director points out.
The organisation actively uses modern technology, including artificial intelligence, to assist with translations and creative projects. Still, the director warns, “AI cannot replace the deaf. Sign language – AI can’t replace that.”
The future of Turkoois is focused on the concept of the social economy. “I hope that governments or local authorities will notice that when deaf employees work in a company, they feel at home, they are happier,” he explains his vision.
We were particularly interested in the international cooperation that Turkoois is actively developing. “We at DeafStudio, Turkoois and other partners are lucky to have started to work with the whole of Europe. Before, the young people always met only at camps – once a year. Today we have companies and jobs, which gives us more contacts and allows us to invent new projects.”
The visit to Groningen and Turkoois gave us a valuable insight into what a working environment that respects the needs of deaf people while allowing them to develop professionally can look like. This model could serve as inspiration for similar initiatives in Slovakia.