Speak Out October 2016

Speech Pathology Week

SPWeek 2016 – “Creating Futures”

kits included posters, magnets, stickers, wristbands, posters, balloons, and flyers with information about the profession and communication and swallowing difficulties. In addition, each state Branch received their own Speech Pathology Week Campaign Kit with promotional collateral. In total, National Office packed around 75,000 items into these kits! Other digital campaign material was also available for download from the Association’s website, including the Speech Pathology Week logo, posters, and an email signature. Finally, a huge thank you to all the members who got involved in Speech Pathology Week 2016 in one form or another. The success of the week is directly related to your hard work and endeavours.

Speech Pathology Week 2016 will most likely be remembered for the launch of the final report of the Speech Pathology 2030 project (see page 4 ), but the week marked much more than the formal completion of this exciting endeavour. Feedback from members, and others, was that the week and the surrounding campaign was very successful in making more Australians aware of those in our community who have a communication or swallowing difficulty. The Association ran a dedicated social media campaign, including advertising on Twitter and Facebook. The success of the campaign can be seen from the 19.9 percent increase in Facebook likes. The Association’s Facebook page now has more than 11,500 likes. There was also an 8.4 percent increase in the number of followers for the Association’s Twitter handle @SpeechPathAus during the campaign period, it now has in excess of 7,510 followers. The distribution of 70,000 mini-mags nationally also heightened interest, not only in Speech Pathology Week, but in the speech pathology profession more generally. The mini-mags were a postcard-sized 12-page booklet. Each page carried information about the profession with a unique URL, linking the page with more specific information on the Association’s website. The mini- mags were distributed in every state and territory, and in a limited number of regional centres. Congratulations must go to the large number of Association members who were able to generate local media interest in Speech Pathology Week 2016. Using the template media release produced by National Office, many members secured articles in local newspapers, and a number of members secured airtime on radio. WIN TV in Canberra also ran a story about Speech Pathology Week. Every state Branch was active during Speech Pathology Week and more detail can be found on their respective pages in this edition of Speak Out . Of note was the NSW Branch, which ran their successful SPArty night and the Victorian Branch who had more than 80 at their annual trivia night and more than 120 to an evening organised by Victorian student members. The Western Australian Branch had more than 50 to their Speech Pathology Week launch; while “down south”, the Tasmanian Branch ran successful market day stalls in Hobart and Launceston. Campaign activity was also generated by Association members who purchased one of the 240 Speech Pathology Week Campaign Kits produced by National Office. The campaign

Michael Kerrisk Communications and Marketing Manager

All over Australia speech pathologists celebrated Speech Pathology Week. The week was a great success and highlighted the importance of swallowing and communication issues to the broader community. This page From top left are Victorian Branch members Addie Robinson, Cluny Barnes, Karen Bloomberg, Jane-Elise Cherry, Nathaniel Swain, Katherine Sanchez, Simone Arnott, Deb Mylne. Front row Anastasia Spanos, Mia Simson, Debbie Phyland, Tammie Tun, Britt King, Laura Darvas. Second from left Christi Boucher from Guild Insurance, Suzanne Churcher from Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship, Eva Butcher, Melissa Murphy and Alana Stewart from the Stroke Foundation. WA Branch members Emma Corry, Jess Morrison, Kate Green, Annie Heneghan, at the front is Nickee Priestman.

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October 2016 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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