Australian Federation of Deaf Societies
The Australian Federation of Deaf Societies (AFDS) was established in 1966 to meet the needs of organisations providing services to the Australian Deaf community.

Member organisations include:

• Deaf Society of New South Wales
• Deaf Services Queensland
• Royal South Australian Deaf Society (Deaf CanDo)
• Tasmanian Deaf Society (TasDeaf)
• Victorian Deaf Society (VicDeaf)
• Western Australian Deaf Society (WADeaf)

AFDS believes that people who are Deaf or hard of hearing should enjoy the same political, civil and human rights as other members of the community.

AFDS works to ensure people who are Deaf or hearing impaired achieve their full rights and fulfil their responsibilities as Australian citizens.

AFDS has lobbied and made representations to many different organisations and government inquiries on issues such as improved access to:

• education,
• employment,
• interpreting,
• captioning and
• TTY relay services for Deaf and hard of hearing people.

This has included advocating for the establishment and funding of the Australian Caption Centre, the National Relay Service and the National Auslan Interpreter Booking and Payment Service (NABS).

The Deaf Society of NSW is a current member of AFDS. The AFDS Policy and Strategy Co-ordinator is employed by the Deaf Society and works from the Deaf Society's head office.

ASLIA (NSW)
The Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association (ASLIA) is the professional body representing Australian Sign Language (Auslan) interpreters.

The objectives of the state branch, ASLIA (NSW), are to:

• Encourage professional solidarity of Auslan interpreters in New South Wales
• Provide advice, continuing education and skills development for stakeholders
• Strive for best practice in Auslan interpreting and for the rights of interpreters

ASLIA (NSW) is one of five state branches of ASLIA National.

ASLIA (NSW) meets at The Deaf Society of NSW with the Deaf Society providing in-kind support including office space, office equipment and assistance from staff.

Community Colleges NSW
Community Colleges NSW is a not-for-profit association formed for the advancement of adult and community education in NSW.

There are currently 59 Community Colleges across the state of NSW who are providers of adult and community education and who are members of Community Colleges NSW. Community Colleges NSW represents the interests of its members to government, community and corporate sectors. It provides a network for its members, connecting them to statewide contracts and initiatives.

The Deaf Society of NSW as a Registered Training Organisation is a member of Community Colleges NSW.

NSW Association of the Deaf
NSW Association of the Deaf is the state branch of Deaf Australia (formerly known as the Australian Association of the Deaf (AAD)) and is the peak consumer group for Deaf people in NSW. The work of NSWAD is to liaise with other organisations, send out information, and give education and advocacy and support to youth, and to organise events.

The DSNSW supports NSWAD and has assisted with applications for funding and the conduct of events.

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters
The National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) is a national standards body owned by the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments of Australia. It is a company limited by guarantee under the Commonwealth Corporations Law 2001.

NAATI is also an advisory body for the Translation and Interpreting (T & I) industry in Australia providing advice and consultancy services on T & I standards, accreditation, role and conduct of Translators and Interpreters and T & I skills in various settings.

NAATI accreditation is the only credential officially accepted for the profession of translation and interpreting in Australia.

The Deaf Society aims to employ NAATI-Accredited interpreters only, except in the case of Deaf (Relay) Interpreters, for whom no NAATI accreditation currently exists.

Ephpheta Centre
The Ephpheta Centre provides the chaplaincy team for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the dioceses of Sydney, Broken Bay and Parramatta. The Centre provides sacramental and pastoral care, counselling, support and advocacy services.

The Deaf Society conducts a monthly playgroup “Sign‘N’Tots” in conjunction with the Ephpheta Centre.

Sign’N’Tots is a bilingual (Auslan and English) playgroup for young children which provides age-appropriate activities for children and information for parents.

Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) is Australia's oldest and largest independent special educator.  RIDBC provides a wide range of innovative educational services to children who are deaf, hearing impaired, blind or vision impaired, including children with additional disabilities.

The Deaf Society runs the Auslan Heritage School in partnership with RIDBC. At this Saturday school parents and family members learn Auslan and Deafness awareness, while their children improve Auslan through structured play activities.

IBM
The Deaf Society is involved in a joint venture with IBM to provide Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) and on-site interpreting services for IBM employees.

WestWood Spice
WestWood Spice is a specialist consulting group with expertise in the community and public sectors. They work across Australia and overseas with programs, organisations and individuals to make a difference in the lives of people who are disadvantaged.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has contracted with WestWood Spice to provide the Outreach Service for the National Relay Service. The initial contract was from 1 July 2006 to 31 December 2008 with the contract now extended to June 2011.

The Australian Federation of Deaf Societies (AFDS) is a key sub-contractor of the Outreach Service and is responsible for the NRS education and information function. As WestWood Spice, the NRS Outreach Service and The Deaf Society of New South Wales are all located in NSW, the Deaf Society fulfils the role of liaison between the National Relay Service Outreach Service and AFDS.

The NRS education and information function provides information, training and support across Australia. The DSNSW hosts an Education and Information Officer and also employs the Manager, Education and Customer Service and the Customer Service team.

Hume Community Housing Association
Hume Community Housing Association aims to reduce housing stress in the Holroyd, Fairfield, and Liverpool local government areas and the northern part of Campbelltown LGA. They reduce housing stress mostly by providing affordable well managed housing to people who are on low incomes who are either homeless or who are suffering financial hardship in the private rental market.

The Deaf Society has a Memorandum of Understanding with Hume Community Housing Association to provide support services to Deaf tenants of the Association.

Mullauna Village
Mullauna Village is a Uniting Church aged care facility including a hostel and independent living units in Blacktown. Assisted care is provided to those who are frail or who have a physical disability or difficulty in managing living skills.

Lonsdale House, the Deaf Society Hostel for aged Deaf people in Stanmore closed in March 1995 and its residents moved to Mullauna Lodge, now Mullauna Village.

The Deaf Society liaises regularly with the Hostel Manager and Deaf Liaison Worker at Mullauna Village. A Community Access Worker helps residents to do shopping every fortnight. Community Access Workers and Community Workers help by taking residents to medical appointments. The Deaf Society runs consultations with residents every year to assess their satisfaction with living arrangements, and provides feedback to management on this consultation.

Westpac Banking Corporation
The Deaf Society has an agreement with Westpac to provide Deaf customers with Auslan interpreting services at no cost to the customer.