Cornish lifeguard develops a sign language to help older people video call
Paul Hills' new sign language is now being used by organisations across the UK
A Cornish business coach director has used his love of lifeguarding to make his company more inclusive by developing a new sign language for video meetings.
Paul Hills was forced, like many companies, to switch his business online following the covid-19 pandemic, but found that it was not always easy to read the participants during video conferences and wanted to find a better way to connect and interact with them.
Being a member of his local surf lifesaving club and a trained voluntary lifeguard, it meant he had to learn all the signals that lifeguards use, for example, How to ask for help when out at sea, how to tell others you have understood messages and how to relay the all-clear.
That's when Paul remembered his lifeguard signs and how useful they were, and a revolution in video meetings was born.
His new company, Video Sign Language and is now starting to use it to revolutionise video chats for older people who feel isolated over Christmas. The teams say the simple signs would spell an end to awkward interactions that have no emotion.
Hundreds are now using the new code. Teachers, the WI, and big financial institutions are among those who have tried it, and they are all reporting much higher levels of connection due to the hand signals and the simple rules.
“I feel like I have just had a big hug from the group. I was amazed at how the signs allowed us to create a much closer connection amongst the people on the call."
Carolyn Butt, Teacher
“Anyone that’s had a video meeting, be it for business, or family, or friends, will know that there are sticking points. Who talks when? How can you be sure people are listening?. but with the new method, chats are much more productive, interactive, and most importantly, human”.
Paul Hills, Creator, Video Sign Language
Video Sign Language
The new language is in the process of getting a registered trademark and is called VSL, or video sign language. There are 25 new signs. They are pretty simple, and range from doing a thumbs up, to signalling you would like to speak.
The creative team also had inspiration from several hand signs used by a local Cornish group that helps vulnerable young men, called “Band of Brothers”, who use hand signals to convey emotions and connection – for example, simple hand signs that send the message ‘I have also felt that/had that experience’ or ‘I feel for you’.
The team at Video Sign Language found the most common problems in video chats were:
• I don't know when I can speak
• we all try to speak at once
• I feel disconnected from the others in my team
• I find it hard not to be able to contribute or show my thoughts/feelings when someone else is speaking
• I find it hard to read the body language – to work out what is really going on
• I don’t know what other people think or feel
• I get bored – we do so many boring video calls
• I feel 'Zoomed out'
• I often feel other people aren’t engaged
“My team are very keen on the signs and they are actively using them, which has helped create a more natural engagement and flow to our meetings.
“In face-to-face meetings, I felt I could read a room, but it’s very difficult on Zoom. However, now with everyone contributing more and being more active, I can easily tune in”.
Hetal Patel, Team Leader, Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Paul says he can’t quite believe that the world embraced video meetings without working out how to properly conduct them. He wants to help vulnerable groups, like older people, connect and use the new language.
He thinks it will really help with making video calls much more human, and so, reduce loneliness.
Paul is excited that this Cornish lifeguard-inspired business idea could spell an end to loneliness for older people this Christmas.