Talk Town
Delivered by Talk Town Ltd (a not-for-profit social enterprise)
In partnership with The Hearing House, Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand, HIT Lab NZ
Funding: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, New Zealand Sign Language Board, Christchurch City Council Innovation Fund, M.G. Martin Trust
Overview
Talk Town is an ongoing, innovative digital intervention developed as a self-advocacy and communication skills role-playing game designed for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) youth. The programme addresses the unique psychosocial and communication challenges faced by DHH youth, particularly those born to hearing parents and attending mainstream schools, by providing an engaging, age-appropriate, and culturally responsive digital resource.
The novel, engaging intervention supports the psychosocial wellbeing of DHH youth. by centering lived experience, co-design, and digital innovation, the programme empowers young people to develop self-advocacy and communication skills, reduce stigma, and build positive identities. Its scalable, evidence-informed model offers valuable lessons for health, education, and digital system transformation.
Approaches & Methodology
Talk Town employs participatory design and co-production methodologies, involving DHH youth, their families, and professionals throughout development. The programme began with problem validation through surveys of parents, teachers, and clinicians, followed by iterative prototyping and feedback from DHH youth and stakeholders. Game content is informed by habilitation literature and lived experience, ensuring relevance and authenticity. Evaluation workshops with DHH youth aged 10–16 assessed feasibility, acceptability, and learning outcomes, using pre- and post-surveys to measure changes in internalised stigma and self-advocacy.
Aims & Objectives
Talk Town aims to empower DHH youth by:
- Reducing internalised stigma regarding hearing difference.
- Improving self-advocacy and assertive communication skills.
- Identifying and overcoming environmental communication barriers.
- Enhancing social pragmatic skills and positive identity development.
- Providing a safe, engaging platform for exploring unique communication needs and identities.
Outcomes & Measured Impact
Self-selected surveys of parents and teachers of DHH youth (n=39) and paediatric audiologists, speech language therapists, and otolaryngologists (n=40) were administered online to identify need for this resource.
Evaluation workshops demonstrated that Talk Town is feasible and acceptable for DHH youth, with participants reporting reduced internalised stigma and improved self-efficacy after gameplay. The game’s customisable avatars and realistic social scenarios were valued for reflecting and expanding lived experience. Survey data revealed that DHH youth often “give up” during communication breakdowns, but post-intervention, users showed greater confidence and advocacy. Clinicians and educators noted the resource’s novelty and its potential to address overlooked psychosocial needs.
Key Enablers
- Long-term community engagement and feedback loops, ensuring the resource evolves with user needs.
- Strong, trust-based relationships with DHH communities and stakeholders.
- Novelty and relevance of the resource for a diverse, often underserved population.
- Multi-disciplinary perspectives and upholding the mana (dignity) of lived experience.
Key Challenges/Barriers
- Digital divide: DHH youth in rural areas face limited access to devices and reliable internet.
- Cultural safety: Ongoing work is needed to better reflect the lived experience of Māori DHH youth and ensure inclusivity.
- Ensuring sustained engagement and transference of learning outcomes to everyday life.
Demographics, Settings & Referral Routes
Demographics: Talk Town targets early years, children, and adolescents (0–17), people with sensory and hidden disabilities, rural and coastal communities, intersectional groups, and working-age adults.
Settings: The game is used in allied health settings, schools, libraries, community centres, homes, online, and via media, supporting both individual and group engagement.
Referral Routes: Participants are recruited through self-referral, secondary care professionals, public health campaigns, charities, education and specialist pathways, research trial advertisements, event outreach, social media, and community noticeboards.
Evaluation Methods
Evaluation of the efficacy of this resource, and transference of learning outcomes to everyday life, is ongoing. Evaluation workshops were held with DHH youth aged 10 – 16 years (n=12) to determine feasibility and acceptability of the Talk Town game. Learning outcomes of Talk Town gameplay were assessed through pre and post surveys measuring internalised stigma of hearing status and device use, and self-advocacy during communication breakdowns.
Overall Evaluation is multi-faceted, including anecdotal feedback, participatory and co-produced evaluation, case study and narrative evaluation, market research, formal internal evaluation, and independent research. Structured design activities and pre/post surveys measure changes in stigma and self-advocacy. The programme is committed to ethical practice, with explicit consent for media use and ongoing attention to cultural safety and inclusivity.
Participant & Stakeholder Feedback
Feedback from DHH youth and educators has been overwhelmingly positive. One participant shared, “This will give me confidence to talk to hearing people when I go to [fast food restaurant] with my friends on Friday,” while a teacher noted, “This will change lives.” These insights highlight the game’s impact on confidence, identity, and resilience.
Another youth for example reflected on bullying due to their cochlear implant processors, saying, “They call me a robot – I tell them I pass the CAPTCHA test.”- Co-design workshop participant - deaf youth.
Alignment with National Strategy & System Learning
Talk Town aligns with national strategies for health equity, digital health, and personalised care. It supports health inequalities and population health management, social prescribing, and allied health professional workstreams. The programme offers a scalable, evidence-based model for supporting psychosocial wellbeing in DHH youth and contributes to system learning on digital innovation and inclusive practice.
Further information:
This Case Study was submitted as part of a call out for Createch Case Studies, and demonstrates good practice in digital innovation within creative health.
Innovation & Digital Transformation
Talk Town exemplifies digital innovation in health and education, using gaming, digital storytelling, and animation to address complex psychosocial needs. The resource is accessible, customisable, and culturally responsive, leveraging technology to bridge gaps in support for DHH youth. Its participatory, asset-based approach ensures ongoing relevance and adaptability.