🌿 Ethics & Sustainability
Doing our best
At Chatter Hands, our mission is simple: to make Aotearoa—and the world—a more inclusive place, one sign at a time.
We believe that helping children communicate, connect, and feel seen is one of the most meaningful ways to build a kinder world.
We also believe how we do things matters just as much as what we do.
This page shares the values that guide our decisions, from cultural respect and accessibility to environmental care and the thoughtful use of technology.
🧡 Our Mission & Purpose
Chatter Hands exists to empower disabled and Deaf children—along with their families, teachers, and communities—through playful, inclusive NZSL learning.
Our resources are designed to make sign language fun, accessible, and part of everyday life. We want every child, whether Deaf, nonspeaking, or hearing, to feel confident expressing themselves through language, movement, and connection.
🤟 Respect for Deaf Culture & Language
We deeply respect Deaf culture and the Deaf community. New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) is one of Aotearoa’s official languages, and we take great care to honour its integrity and the people who use it.
Chatter Hands was born from personal experience—a parent’s journey to help her daughter communicate and thrive—and has grown into a collaborative project involving Deaf educators and community feedback.
🌄 Respect for Te Ao Māori
We acknowledge te reo Māori as one of Aotearoa’s official languages and honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our country’s founding agreement, which reminds us to work in partnership and with respect for tangata whenua.
Chatter Hands aims to reflect and celebrate Māori language and culture in our resources wherever possible—using te reo Māori words, ideas, and values to help children learn about connection, respect, and belonging.
In the future, we’d love to create full te reo Māori translations of our resources. If this is something you’d like to be involved in, we’d love to hear from you.
🌏 Inclusion & Accessibility
Chatter Hands resources are created for all kinds of learners—Deaf, disabled, neurodiverse, and hearing.
All of our materials are offered as free digital downloads, so families and educators everywhere can access them without barriers.
Our aim is to make high-quality NZSL learning tools available to everyone who needs them, regardless of income or location.
💻 Thoughtful Use of Technology & AI
We use technology—including AI-assisted design tools—to help us create resources efficiently and keep them free for everyone.
All content is refined by a designer and checked for clarity and sign accuracy.
We see technology as one of many creative tools that, when used responsibly, can help bridge gaps in accessibility and education.
🌱 Environmental Responsibility
We care about the world our children are growing up in.
That’s why we:
Donate $10 each month to native tree planting projects in Aotearoa New Zealand 🌿 — more than covering the small carbon footprint of our digital tools, including AI.
Favour digital formats to reduce waste and shipping
Offset the small environmental cost of using digital tools through conscious, ongoing action
Our goal is to leave the planet—and our communities—better than we found them.
🤝 Community & Collaboration
We love working alongside sign language teachers, speech therapists, and early childhood educators.
Collaboration keeps us accountable and ensures our resources reflect real families and real communication.
If you’re part of the Deaf or disability community and would like to collaborate or share feedback, please reach out. We’re always learning and improving together.
💬 Transparency & Feedback
Chatter Hands began as one mum’s way of helping her child communicate—and it’s grown into a project shared by many families who care deeply about inclusion and kindness. We’re learning as we go and doing our best to make a positive difference.
We’re always open to ideas and feedback on how we can do better—culturally, ethically, or environmentally.
If you have thoughts or suggestions, please email us at greta@chatterhands.com.
We promise to keep listening, learning, and doing our best every step of the way.
In summary
✅ We respect Deaf culture and NZSL
✅ We design for inclusion and accessibility
✅ We use technology thoughtfully and transparently
✅ We give back through native tree planting and sustainable practices
✅ We keep all digital resources free to support every family and educator