Survey summary results

Residential Space

• What would make the residential space feel safe, welcoming, and like a home away from home?

  A safe, welcoming residential space is Deaf centred, secure, modern, warm, and culturally rich. It balances privacy, connection, identity, and wellbeing, creating a true home away from home where Deaf students feel valued, supported, and proud to belong.

• What facilities and features would you like to see in the residential spaces?

  Respondents envision a modern, Deaf‑centred, flexible, and culturally rich residential environment with:

  • Adjustable lighting
  • Varied seating
  • Large, inclusive kitchen and dining spaces
  • Private bedrooms and bathrooms
  • Quiet and sensory spaces
  • Indoor/outdoor recreation
  • Staff wellbeing areas
  • Senior flatting options
  • Smart Deaf‑friendly technology
  • Strong cultural and community connection
    

  A space that is safe, functional, visually accessible, and genuinely feels like home.

• Are there any specific accessibility or communication needs that the residential design should consider?

  Respondents overwhelmingly agree that accessibility and communication features must be core design elements, not add‑ons. The residential space should be:

  • Visually accessible
  • Technologically connected
  • Safe in all rooms
  • NZSL centred
  • Inclusive of Deaf, Deaf Blind, low‑vision, and physically disabled students

  A fully Deaf friendly environment is seen as essential, not optional.

Early Years Whānau Centre

• What do you love about your child’s current learning environment that you’d like to see carried through to the new space?

  Families want the new space to preserve what they value most:

  • Outdoor play and nature
  • Sport and physical activity
  • A family‑like, inclusive environment
  • Deaf‑friendly and sensory‑friendly design
  • Varied learning spaces for group, individual, and specialist sessions
  • Strong whānau connection and accessibility
  • A warm, homely atmosphere with clear visual communication
• Are there any features of the current environment that don’t work well for your child or whānau?

  The current environment has several consistent issues:

  • Poor acoustics and noise control
  • Lack of Deaf‑friendly visual alert systems
  • Insufficient private spaces
  • Cramped rooms and inadequate storage
  • Limited accessibility for low‑vision/blind users
  • Missing practical facilities (laundry, adult toilets, secure storage)
  • Location challenges
  • Need for stronger community connection

  Families want the new space to be safer, quieter, more accessible, more spacious, and fully Deaf‑friendly.

• What specific accessibility or communication features are important for your child in this space?

  Respondents strongly agree that the space must be:

  • Visually accessible
  • Acoustically comfortable
  • Easy to navigate
  • Designed for NZSL communication
  • Equipped with visual and tactile alert systems
  • Inclusive of Deaf, DeafBlind, blind/low‑vision, and physically disabled users

  The most consistently mentioned features are:

  • Clear sightlines
  • Visual alert systems
  • Good acoustics
  • Open‑plan design
  • Tactile wayfinding
• What would make the Early Years Whānau Centre feel like a place where your family truly belongs?

  Families feel they truly belong when the Early Years Whānau Centre is:

  • Warm, welcoming, and people‑centred
  • Open, safe, and visually accessible
  • Rooted in Deaf culture and NZSL
  • Comfortable for both children and adults
  • Easy to access
  • A place where their children’s identities, creativity, and stories are celebrated

Visitor Accommodation

• Stayed onsite or nearby during an assessment, Preschool Residential Course, Deaf Youth Hui or Placement visit or appointment?

  On-site accommodation is important and frequently used by many families. Planning for the new facility should include flexible, accessible whānau accommodation, able to scale with demand.

• What facilities and features would be most important to you in visitor accommodation?

  Across all features, respondents consistently prioritise:

  • Privacy (bedrooms + bathrooms)
  • Practical living facilities (kitchen, laundry)
  • Comfort and wellbeing (quiet spaces, safe play areas)
  • Convenience (parking, proximity to assessment spaces)
  • Connectivity (WiFi + workspace)
  • Visitor accommodation must be comfortable, practical, family‑friendly, and close to key services.
• What would make a real difference to your comfort and wellbeing during an extended visit?

  What makes the biggest difference to comfort and wellbeing:

  • Privacy, safety, and quiet rooms
  • Comfortable, homely spaces
  • Good environmental controls (heat, cooling, lighting)
  • Kitchen and refreshment access
  • Reliable Wi‑Fi and workspace
  • Safe play areas for children
  • Proximity to key facilities
  • Deaf‑friendly design and cultural visibility

  Families want accommodation that feels safe, calm, connected, and genuinely welcoming, a true home away from home during extended visits.

• Are there any specific accessibility or communication needs we should consider in the visitor accommodation design?

  Families want visitor accommodation that is:

  • Fully Deaf‑friendly (visual alerts, vibrating alarms, clear sightlines)
  • Mobility‑accessible (bathrooms, entrances, pathways)
  • Low‑vision accessible (lighting, tactile indicators, signage)
  • Safe and easy to navigate
  • Designed using DeafSpace principles
  • Equipped with clear visual and written emergency information

  The strongest themes are visual alert systems, vibrating alarms, accessible bathrooms, and clear sightlines, all seen as must‑have features, not optional extras.

Offices and Staff Spaces

• What is important for office and staff spaces?

  Across all responses, the most consistently Very Important features are:

  • Private offices / focus spaces
  • Meeting rooms of varying sizes
  • Private spaces for confidential conversations
  • Video‑conferencing and tech‑enabled rooms
  • Secure storage
  • Accessible parking

  Features like open‑plan collaboration, outdoor spaces, and hot‑desking are valued but less critical.

• How do you currently find the balance between collaborative and private workspaces?

  Across all responses, three patterns emerge:

  • Most staff feel the balance is currently “about right.”
  • Many are unsure, indicating room for clearer design or communication about workspace purpose.
  • A consistent minority want more collaboration space, suggesting that future design should strengthen shared work areas without compromising private focus spaces.
• What would the right balance look like in the new space?
  • A thoughtful mix of collaborative, semi-private, and fully private spaces
  • Team-based open-plan areas, not one giant open office
  • Plenty of soundproof breakout rooms
  • Dedicated private offices for confidential roles
  • DeafSpace-informed design for communication access
  • Shared social spaces to strengthen culture
  • Flexible meeting and event spaces
  • Centralised layout with good storage and parking

  A flexible, Deaf-friendly environment that supports collaboration, privacy, wellbeing, and the diverse needs of all staff.

• Are there specific accessibility or communication features that should be built into the staff spaces?

  Staff want a workplace that is:

  • Visually accessible
  • Acoustically comfortable
  • NZSL‑friendly
  • Safe for Deaf staff
  • Flexible for different roles
  • Designed using DeafSpace principles

  
  The four non‑negotiables are:

  • Visual alert systems
  • Acoustic treatment
  • Clear sightlines for signing
  • Adjustable lighting
• What would make the new office environment a place where staff feel supported, connected, and able to do their best work?

  Staff want a new office environment that is:

  • Connected – bringing people together naturally
  • Purpose‑built – designed for the actual work of each team
  • Deaf‑centred – sightlines, lighting, visual alerts, NZSL access
  • Wellbeing‑focused – quiet spaces, natural light, comfort
  • Flexible – a mix of private, collaborative, and breakout spaces
  • Practical – good tech, storage, heating, ventilation, parking
  • Culturally grounded – honouring Deaf history and identity

  A workplace that supports communication, connection, wellbeing, and professional excellence, reflecting the values of Ko Taku Reo.