SpeakOut_April2014_FINAL_eCopy

BRANCHnews QUEENSLAND

BRANCHnews SOUTHAUSTRALIA

Chance it asaChampion!

Thisyear anundergraduate speech pathology (SP) programhasbeen introduced to theBrisbanecampusof theAustralianCatholicUniversity (ACU). TheBrisbanecampus joins theexisting SPprogramsbeingofferedbyACU in MelbourneandNorthSydney. Together, the threecampusesprovideanational four-year undergraduateprogram that is committed todevelopinghighly skilled andethical graduate speechpathologists. Over 200 students haveenrolled in the first year across the three sites, and these studentswill benefit from theexpertiseof anational academic team, with lectures delivered simultaneously via interactive videoconference. Thenational academic team is ledby Professor Paul Carding, a specialist in voicedisorders, who joinsACU from Newcastle (UK) as theNational Course Coordinator inSpeechPathology. In Brisbanehe is joinedbyDr ErinConway, whose teachingand research focus is acquired languagedisorders anddementia care. InMelbourne, theSP team is ledby VictorianCourseCoordinator Dr Diane Jacobs, joinedby theNational Professional PracticeCoordinator Dr SimoneArnott, and teaching staffMsMarieAtherton, Dr Kerry Ttofari EecenandDr ZanetaMok. Together theyprovideclinical and research expertiseacross speechand language disorders, autism,motor speechdisorders, fluency, clinical linguistics and international development. InNorthSydney, Dr Leigha Dark andDr NatalieBergprovideclinical and researchexpertise indisability, cerebral palsy,multimodal communication, rehabilitation, anddysphagiamanagement, aswell as the livedexperiencesof adults withcommunicationdisabilities. Theywill be joinedbyNSWCourseCoordinator ProfessorWendyPearce inmid-2014, whowill provide leadership in the fieldsof paediatric speech, languageand literacy. If youare interested in findingoutmore about SPat ACUor clinical education opportunitiespleasecontact Professor Paul Carding, Paul.Carding@acu.edu.au . UndergradSPat ACU, Brisbane

Wellwe’veall receivedour packs andpledgedourselves asCommunication Champions, but how many people have taken the leap and actually started to take the opportunities to raise awareness that the International CommunicationProject 2014provides? InSAwe have just had an election, there are multiple festivals in the comingmonths, and the Tour DownUnder (TDU) has just cycled through theState. TheMayor of my suburb, Prospect, was the Labor candidate for Adelaide inwhat was a tightly contestedbut Liberal held seat. O’Loughlin, locally a number of years ago, but don’t knowhimwell. Hewaswithmanyof usat thestreet party in Prospect for theTDU.He calledmeover to say, “Hi,” across the crowd. I took this chance to be aCommunication Champion, as detailed below: • David introducedme to JayWeatherill, the Premier of SA.We chatted for awhile, and I told him about mywork as a speech pathologist in private practice • I got a great photo of myself withDavid and thePremier! (above) • I becameDavid’s Imet theMayor of Prospect, David

Speech pathologist DianaBlebywithSAPremier JayWeatherill and ProspectMayor DavidO’Loughlin; below, DavidO’Loughlin pledged tobecome aCommunicationChampion.

my speech pathology practice page, included a link to the ICP2014, and tagged David and thePremier inmy post • The post was ‘liked’ by a large number of David’s Facebook friends and Labor colleagues, most of whom I am not familiar with • I approachedDavid about doing an interview for theSPA

• I postedDavid’sphoto with the ICP2014 link onmypracticeand personal Facebook pages, andat last count it hadbeen seenon thepractice pageby 725people, in less than24hours! My takehome messages are: • if youdon’t have the confidence topursue ameetingwitha public figure, keep your eyesopen for chanceencounters or conversations, as younever knowwhere theymight lead! Facebook (if youhave apage) andencourage your friends topledge asCommunication Champions. They in turnwill link their friends, and there’s a ChampionChanceof it going viral on social media! Give it a go, aswe really canmake a difference by raising awareness of communication! DianaBleby SABranchMember andChampion for Communication (CPSP) • share the linkon

SA Lobbying and Influencing group • David accepted, I phoned the Opposition office to tell them I was meetingwith David and they

booked a one-hour appointment forme next weekwith the sittingMP yesterday for an hour, and shared our SA strategic lobbying issues, including championing youth justice, which he really engagedwith

• I met withDavid

• Davidpledged tobecome a Communication

Champion, I took a photo toprove it, and he signed a consent form enablingme to use the photo

friend on Facebook, posted the photoon

DrErinConway Senior Lecturer, ACU, Brisbane

SpeakOut April 2014

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au