Murray Blondell was born hearing, but at three years old his world changed. He began to experience changes in his hearing and joined generations of his family who are also Deaf, including his great-great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, aunts, uncles, and siblings.  Murray’s changing hearing was first noticed at kindergarten, and soon after he was fitted with hearing aids, which he wore throughout childhood and into adulthood.  Murray Blondell at The Hearing House Even befor

Kia ora koutou,    Spring is here — a time when nature wakes up and everything that’s been still and quiet begins to burst with colour and life. It’s an exciting season of growth and energy, but it can also feel a little hectic as we head toward Christmas.  Just as we notice the signs of the seasons changing around us, we also sense changes within ourselves. Some are easy to recognise, a lift in mood, a burst of motivation, while others can be harder to understand or manage.

The Hearing House, together with PhD candidate Zoe Hector, recently hosted a fun and engaging workshop for young people ages 10-18 who use cochlear implants or hearing aids to access sound.  This workshop was led by Zoe Hector as part of her PhD research. Zoe is the creator of Talk Town, a digital communication skills game designed for deaf children. Talk Town helps young players navigate real-life social situations, build confidence, and develop skills to enhance their schoo

The Australia and New Zealand Hearing Health Collaborative (ANZ HHC) has this week launched the first ANZ guidelines for adult cochlear implantation, a landmark initiative designed to improve access and consistency in quality of services and impact outcomes in hearing healthcare for adults across Australia and New Zealand. The work is the culmination of engagement from cochlear implant (CI) professionals from Australia and New Zealand and CI recipients who offered lived exper

The Hearing House’s clinical director, Associate Professor Holly Teagle, is a key speaker at the second annual  Cochlear Implant International Community of Action  (CIICA) conference in Brussels from 16-17 October. Holly will present on the expanding models of service delivery at The Hearing House, and will also chair the session on  Delivering Services Differently,  which will include presentations from six international speakers. CIICA is a rapidly growing international net

On Saturday, 20 September, during Māori Language Week, the Auckland Deaf Society unveiled its first ever Whakairo Māori Carving (Pare) in a moving dawn ceremony.  Our colleague Natasha Cloete from Deaf Aotearoa had the privilege of attending this historic occasion, joined by our CEO Claire Green, First Signs facilitator Maryanne Hay, and one of our kiritaki (clients), Kathleen. Together, they experienced the powerful dawn blessing as the sun rose and birds flew overhead. The

This morning began with a sense of anticipation at New Zealand Parliament. For the first time in Aotearoa, the Deaf Flag was raised, a moment that carried both history and hope. The occasion was made even more special as it took place during International Week of Deaf People, a global celebration of Deaf culture, language, and identity. Our CEO, Claire Green, was honoured to be among those invited to witness this milestone for the Deaf community. A proud moment at Parliament

This week, The Hearing House came together to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. It was a time to honour  the beauty and importance of te reo Māori and te ao Māori. More than a celebration of language, it was a celebration of whakawhanaungatanga, the process of building and strengthening relationships, and recognising the connections that unite us.  We were privileged to be joined by Tipene Pickett, whose passion for his mahi uplifted and inspired us all. His energy reminded u

On Monday 22 September, The Hearing House will host a Game Design Workshop with PhD candidate and senior audiologist, Zoe Hector. The workshop is for young people aged 10 to 18 who use cochlear implants or hearing aids. It’s a chance to get creative, connect with others, and help shape a resource designed just for them.  Zoe brings both professional expertise and personal experience. She grew up with Deaf and hearing family members and is hard of hearing herself, using her br